Maria Elisabeth Balcom Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Maria “Mali” Elisabeth (Pinzl) Balcom passed away on October 10, 2019. She peacefully left us while holding the hand of her daughter Nancy. She is known for always putting her children first. This was warmly felt by those who were close to her. She loved when family and friends would visit and treated these visits as the grandest of gatherings. All were welcome in her household. She was a fantastic cook and loved to feed those that would visit. She was famous for her lively stories of her own personal life. She greeted all with the kindest personality. She was always warm and welcoming. Maria insisted on being called “Mali”. To her granddaughters she was known as Omi. She was born on February 10, 1929, in Simbach am Inn in Bavaria, Germany. Mali had an interesting life. She grew up in WWII Germany. She was musically talented and sang and played piano. She won a regional Opera competition and was supposed to compete at the national level, but the competition never took place because the Opera house was destroyed by bombing. While she and her music teachers wanted her to attend the Mozart School of Music to become an operetta singer, her father insisted she attend business school instead. After finishing business school, she held various administrative, accounting and retail positions with the US Army and Air Force in Germany and in the US and also with Sears in Chicago. While working for the US Army in Munich, she met and married Captain E. Rodney “Rod” Balcom, who she would say captured her (heart). Being a military family, they moved several times between the US and Germany until retiring in Germany in 1964. Mali had two children – her son, Ronald “Ronnie” Pinzl Balcom in 1949, and her daughter, Nancy Balcom-Moskalik in 1969. Ronnie was killed while a passenger in a car accident in 1966, at the age of 17. It was the biggest tragedy of Mali’s life. In 1972, Mali and her family moved to Rod’s hometown of Coldwater, MI. Mali spent her time being a homemaker, volunteering at Nancy’s elementary schools and spending time with friends at the American Legion or having breakfast at Big Boy. After Nancy left for college, Mali moved to Fayetteville, NC in 1988 to be closer to a childhood friend and be near a military base. She enjoyed spending time at coffee-klatsch with her friends, doting on her cats, watching TV and reading. A few years ago, Mali moved to Cary, NC to live closer to, and to be cared for, by her immediate family. Mali was preceded in death by her parents Georg and Maria Pinzl, her husband and her son. She is survived by her daughter Nancy Balcom-Moskalik, son-in-law John Moskalik, and granddaughters Kathleen and Alena Moskalik. In accordance with Mali’s wishes, cremation will take place. The family plans to hold a private celebration of her life. Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or the SPCA.

Maria Elisabeth Balcom

February 10, 1929 - October 10, 2019