Obituary of Vincent Balcerek

Vincent R. (Bib) Balcerek of Mount Pleasant, age 80, died Thursday, August 25, 2011 in Harmon House Convalescent Center, Mt. Pleasant. Mr. Balcerek was born February 28, 1931 in Mount Pleasant, the son of the late Vincent J. and Mary K. (Habrat) Balcerek. He was a member of the Former Transfiguration Parish.and a current member of St Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Mount Pleasant. Bib was a 1949 graduate of the Ramsay High School in Mount Pleasant, where he played varsity football and basketball and was named "Most Athletic"in his graduating class. Bib served in the United States Army, Military Police, stationed in Austria after WWII. He worked for many years at PPG Industries in Greensburg before retiring in 1993. He also worked part-time as a bartender for the American Legion and Elks clubs in Mount Pleasant. Bib had also coached midget league football and grade school basketball in Mount Pleasant.He was an avid fan of Chicago Cubs baseball and Notre Dame Football and often traveled to Notre Dame to enjoy the games. He was a member of the American Legion Post 446 and the VFW Post 3368 in Mount Pleasant. He was a loving husband and father and a wonderful grandfather and great grandfather. Bib was a very kind and gentle man, who always had a kind word and a smile for everyone.He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Henrietta (Caruso) Balcerek, and his five children: Kerry Balcerek Hedlund and her husband Paul of Greenville, S.C., Tom Balcerek and his wife Marcy of Pittsburgh, Diane Balcerek Lingenfield and her husband Jim of Norvelt, V. Scott Balcerek of Los Angeles, CA and Chris Balcerek and his wife Jurie of Burke, VA.He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren: Joshua Slater and Megan Slater Farrell, Emily and Benjamin Balcerek; Michael and Matthew Lingenfield, and Mia Balcerek, and by his great grandchildren: Cameron, Gabriel, and Mason Farrell.Bib is also survived by his brother, Walter Balcerek and his wife Betty, his sister Patty Smithnosky and his sister in law Pauline Balcerek, all of Mount Pleasant. In addition to his parents, Bib was preceded in death by his brothers, Thomas, Edward and Paul Balcerek and by his sisters; Florence Sochacki and Gertrude Evancho.Family and friends will be received on Sunday from 2 to 4 & 6 to 9 PM at the Galone-Caruso Funeral Home, 204 Eagle Street, Mount Pleasant. A blessing service will be held Monday @9:30AM in the funeral home followed by his Funeral Mass @10 AM in St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, Mount Pleasant, with the Rev. Richard J. Kosisko as celebrant. Entombment with full military rites accorded by the American Legion Post 446 and V.F.W. Post 3368 will be in Middle Presbyterian Cemetery Mausoleum, Mt. Pleasant Township. A Parish Wake service will be held in the Funeral Home Sunday at 3 PM. To offer an online condolence, please visit our website at www.galone-carusofuneralhome.com