Patricia Ann Balk, 93, of Charles City, passed away peacefully Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at her home surrounded by family.
A private graveside service will be held at a later date.
Pat was born May 7, 1933, in Ionia to Anthony and Cecelia Gilbert Kramer. She spent most of her life in Charles City, where her home became a gathering place for family, friends and anyone who happened to stop by.
She married Harry Balk on May 7, 1953, and together they shared 62 years of marriage while raising three daughters and building a life centered on family, friends and the outdoors.
Pat spent more than 40 years working at the Oliver tractor manufacturing plant in Charles City, which later became White Farm Equipment. She remained there until the plant closed and was among the last employees to leave.
She also had a remarkable head for numbers and dates. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other important milestones tended to stay firmly planted in Pat’s memory, making her the person family members often turned to when they wanted to know exactly when something happened.
Fishing was another major part of her life. Pat and Harry spent many summers with their daughters at Black Duck Lake in Minnesota and later kept a trailer along the Mississippi River, where countless days were spent fishing.
Her love of fishing lasted well into her later years. During a visit to Tennessee at age 91, Pat was still casting from the dock and managed to catch what would become her final fish.
Animals were rarely far from her side. She grew up with horses and dogs, later welcomed cats into the family and eventually fostered rescue kittens, including tiny kittens that needed to be hand-fed.
Pat enjoyed flowers, gardening, card games and family gatherings. Her kitchen table became one of the centers of family life, where visitors could expect conversation, laughter and time spent catching up.
Weekends could mean playing cards and games, working in the garden or canning and preserving food together, with family members often leaving with jars of whatever had been made that day.
Pat also enjoyed tour bus trips with friends to casinos and had a reputation for occasionally coming home a winner. She enjoyed scratch lottery tickets as well and was known to donate whatever winnings remained after she was finished playing.
As mobility became more difficult later in life, Pat kept her laptop nearby to stay connected with family through social media and to spend time playing solitaire.
Her faith remained important throughout her life and provided comfort and strength through the years.
Pat is survived by her daughters, Norma Raab and Dennis of Charles City, Nancy McCurdy and Mark of Iowa City, and Judy Klinkel and Bob of Ames; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; extended family; and many friends.
Her family expressed special gratitude to Norma for the loving care she provided during Pat’s later years, allowing her to remain in her own home surrounded by familiar things and the people she loved.
Pat leaves behind a life filled with family gatherings, fishing trips, flowers, animals, hard work and countless conversations around the kitchen table.
Family and friends may read Patricia’s complete obituary and share memories through Hauser Funeral Home.
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