BALCOM, Robert Eugene "Bob" ~ Berwick, Kings Co., passed away at his home peacefully with family on January 30, 2024, at the age of 90. Robert was born and raised in the Nictaux area. As a young adult Bob resided in South Berwick where he married and raised his family. He was a loving and attentive father to his three children. "Bob" was a special kind of man: a kind and compassionate man who emanated a strong and decent character. A loyal and valued member of the Valley Lake and Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club for many years. Bob was a skilled and avid crib player and hard to beat. He also loved his darts and attended Dart night at the Windermere Community Hall weekly. He was an outdoors man who loved to hunt and fish and be in nature and enjoyed his camping immensely. Bob was handy at just about anything, he had a quiet confidence and determination to tackle any project and do it right the first time. He was predeceased by his son, Brian Balcom; brother, George; sisters, Faye and Mary Anne.  Surviving is his daughter, Betty Ann Balcom, of Windermere; son, Allan (Joan) Balcom of South Berwick; and grandchildren, Ray Jr. Winkelman, Dezaray Winkelman, Kristopher Balcom, Krena Carey; great grandchildren, Madeline, Victoria and Alexandria. There will be no visitation. Memorial Service will take place at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 10, in Middleton Funeral Home, 398 Main St., toll free 1-855-825-3448. Rev. Dorothy Miller officiating, with a reception to follow. Interment in Berwick Cemetery. Flowers are welcome, donations in his memory may be made to Windermere Community Hall. Online guestbook may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com

Eulogy for: Robert E. Balcom
Prepared by: Betty Ann Balcom
2/10/2024

Table of Contents:
Robert's Hobbies 2
Robert's Early Life 3
Story: Robert Visits The Wolfville Police Station 4
Story: Brain & Robert's Trucking Trip 5
Outtakes 5

On behalf of our family, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for
being here today, to honor this special man.
I've had a difficult time with this, how in just a few words, do I summarize my
dear fathers life? How do I give justice to his sweet character, and the
meaningful and loving influence he had on my life?
There is so much I want to say about my father, but this is what I can say
today:
Dad loved Marmalade, chocolate of any kind, no nuts, and pie with french
vanilla ice cream. His morning coffee, vintage cars, and Ford F-150's.
He loved male comradery. Dad was a master at playing crib and enjoyed
socializing at the Windermere Hall weekly darts, as much as the game.
He was a loyal Toronto Blue Jays fan, loved his country music, and
everything about the great outdoors.

Robert's Hobbies
Dad could build or fix anything he put his hand to, and worked hard to
provide for us. An example of this is when he moved the magnetic hill
canteen up over the Oxbow and set it down on Peckers Point, and built a
beautiful floor to ceiling stone fireplace. Mom sold that. The next summer
dad built 3 cottages, mom sold those too. He built our 1st home and two
others. He only made it into grade 8.
He was a loyal and valued member of the valley Lake and Ridge Runner
Snowmobile Club. He spent hours grooming trails and building bridges. The
comradery and challenges of those club years brought him much joy.
Dad was an avid camper and when we were youngsters, dad found ways of
entertaining us, as money was tight, camping and fishing were often our
family recreation and he continued this passion far into his senior years.
Dad appreciated all the little things.
What a special man, such a sense of kindness, such a sense of quiet
understanding, determination, self confidence and compassion for others.
Not a chatterbox, but not a mouse. He spoke meaningfully, made his point
and when necessary, sometimes pointing to where the "Bear did his business
in the Buckwheat"

Robert's Early Life
Many of you would be unaware of dads life as a young child and boy.
He had a very tough beginning in life. I wondered how someone who had
such a difficult and painful beginning could turn that into compassion,
honesty, humbleness, and love. We choose in life to let the hardships make
us bitter or better. My father did the latter.
Dads father was an abusive alcoholic, and due to unfair circumstances, at
the ages of 6 and 4, dad and his brother George were separated from their
siblings Faye 12 and baby Mary Anne, when they were all placed in foster
homes.
This was 1938, Dad and George were subject to cruel treatment during those
years;. They were brave enough to run away, dad at 14, George now 12. This
was in 1944.
Being separated as children was traumatizing for them, and as an adult, dad
made sure that he kept in touch with his siblings and that our families spent
time together and stayed connected.
Many people would be bitter, angry and live their life out much the same;
Dad chose to rise high above it. He was one of those people that make you
wonder if they are actually an Angel impersonating a person.
Well, enough of that, time to now remember we are here to celebrate and be
grateful for having this angel in our lives.
Dad was a good father, and on many occasions, "saved the day."
I could keep you here all day with stories, so I'm just going to share a couple
of mild ones that came to mind. We are truly looking forward to hearing
your stories and memories today.

Story: Robert Visits The Wolfville Police Station
My brother Brian, always had a "hot rod" to burn around in, when he came
home from trucking. Brian was a sweet, kind brother and he made sure that
his little sister had a key and was welcome to drive these "Hot Rods" when
he was on the road.
I was always very careful with his vehicles and grateful to drive around
looking cool. One Saturday night I drove a carload of my girlfriends to
Wolfville to see a movie. On the way out of town the Wolfville cops pulled us
over.
We were within the speed limit, apparently, with Wolfville lit up like Vegas, I
neglected to turn my headlights on. The officer escorted us back to the
station where he charged me with reckless and imprudent driving.
I relayed my experience to dad when I got home and his response was a
quiet "I see". The following evening dad told me that he had paid the
Wolfville police a visit and that the charges were dropped.

Story: Brain & Robert's Trucking Trip
Dad loved to go on the road trucking with our brother Brian. Brian was an
independant who hauled seafood for National Sea and Boston was a routine
destination.
It was on one of these adventures that they found themselves in a pickle of a
situation. Brian had a destination further into Boston than usual, that took
them down onto a narrow street where they came upon a problem corner.
A vehicle was parked in the no parking zone at the corner and after several
attempts it was determined that they had two choices; drive over this car
with the truck and trailer (not a good option) or back his rig into oncoming
traffic, all the way up the street. (better but still not a good option).
This area was a little bit on the seedy side of town, and they had noticed a
cluster of 8-10 fellas hanging out on a set of steps who seemed quite
intrigued and to be enjoying the show. Dad told Brian to stay in the truck,
jumped out, and strolled up to this group of rather dubious individuals, and
requested their assistance. Sure enough, Dads mannerisms won them over,
and these fellas picked a vehicle up and set it on the sidewalk, so that Brian
could make his turn.

Outtakes
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our VON
nurses and the Palliative Care Team. These folks are true soldiers. As well,
acknowledge the dedication, loving care, and support provided by Darlene
Allen and Laura Gaudio.
Dad and I could not have managed without them. Darlene and Laura, please
stand up. I also need to thank dad's good neighbor, Paul Mapleback, who I
could count on to keep an eye on dad and check in on him any time I asked.
Paul? Finally, I give thanks to Ralph Campbell for his unfaltering loyalty, and
long term friendship with dad.
I'll leave you with this quote from Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe:
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think
that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope
for it, and we know it.

Thank you.