Joseph M. Baloga

                 The afternoon of Wednesday, August 23, 2023, a well-known and respected lifelong resident of Wilkes-Barre's North End neighborhood entered into Eternal Life.  Mr. Joseph M. Baloga, 92, passed peacefully with his wife and daughters at his bedside following a recent illness.

Born on Saturday, May 2, 1931 in Wilkes-Barre, Mr. Baloga was the last of seven children to the late August and Anna (Ungvarsky) Baloga.

                 Educated in the city schools, he was a 1949 graduate of the former Saint Nicholas High School, Wilkes-Barre.

Following his education, Mr. Baloga proudly served our country with the United States Army, being Honorably Discharged from military duties on November 14, 1960.

                 A skilled and meticulous craftsman, Mr. Baloga began his formal training by working with the family business, the John J. Baloga Construction Company of Wilkes-Barre.  He then became employed as an instructor in masonry and carpentry by the State Correctional Institution, Dallas for a number of years prior to his formal retirement.

                 Afterwards, Mr. Baloga did not sit idly by.  He shared his gifts and talents with family and friends, taking time to renovate his own home, or assisting with a multitude of projects whenever called upon.

                 Devoted to his Catholic faith, he held membership in Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Plains; having been a member of the former Saint Andre Bessette and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parishes prior to their closures and subsequent mergers.  At Sacred Heart, he proudly took on the responsibility for erecting and painting all of the wooden booths for the annual parish bazaars.  He painstakingly numbered each board for each respective booth prior to dismantling; ensuring all would be in order the following year.  He also was faithful to setting the carillon and making sure the church bells were in good working order to announce the Angelis each day.

                 Socially, he was a member of the North End Slovak Citizens Club; the Brookside American Legion Post #837 and served as the videographer for Mayor McGroarty’s Neighborhood Impact Team for several years.

                 He was also proud of his family and all of their accomplishments.  Above all, Joe is best remembered as being a loving devoted husband of sixty-nine years to his beloved Sally. The couple just celebrated that milestone on June 26th of this year.  In their youth, they were avid roller skaters and won several awards for their skills.  He was a wonderful father to his children and the best pop to all of his grandchildren and great- grandchildren.

                 Mr. Baloga was preceded in death by both of his sons, Joseph P. Baloga on November 3, 2012 and Thomas C. Baloga on May 5, 2017.  He was also preceded by brothers and sisters, Edward E. in 1992; Augustine J. in 1993; John J. in 2005; Anna "Sally" Baloga in 2007; Bernadine M. Baloga in 2010 and most recently by Cyril B. in 2020.

Left to cherish the memories they now keep of him in addition to his wife, Mrs. Sarah "Sally" (Lahart) Baloga at home, are the couple's daughters, Mrs. Ann "Sissy" Hoedl and her husband Frank "Bud" of South Wilkes-Barre and Maria Choman and her husband Matthew of Hanover Township; Daughter-in-law, Peggy (O’Brien) Baloga, East End; Thirteen grandchildren; Nine great-grandchildren; Numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews; many wonderful family friends and his beloved family dog, Molly.

                 Funeral services for Mr. Baloga will be conducted on Tuesday, August 29th at 9:15 a.m. from the John V. Morris Family Funeral Home Inc., 625 North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, followed by his concelebrated Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. in Saints Peter and Paul Parish, 13 Hudson Road, Plains Township.  The Reverend John C. Lambert, pastor, will serve as celebrant and the Reverend Monsignor John J. Sempa, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, West Pittston will serve as homilist.  Those unable to attend may view a live-stream of the Mass by visiting www.sspeterandpaulplains.com and select YouTube.

                 Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in the family lot of Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Cemetery, Dorchester Drive, Dallas.

                 Relatives and friends are cordially invited to join the Baloga family for visitation and shared remembrances Monday evening from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.   In lieu of floral tributes, memorial donations in Mr. Baloga's memory would be sincerely appreciated toward the Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place,; Memphis, TN 38105, or at www.stjude.org.

                 Those wishing to share online words of sympathy and comfort with Mrs. Baloga and her family are kindly asked to do so by visiting Mr. Baloga's memorial page at www.JohnVMorrisFuneralHome.com or our Facebook page.

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