Obituary of Wendell Balch

Doyce Wendell Balch, of Lexington, passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2015. He was 87 years and 9 months of age. Visitation will be Thursday, March 26, 2015, from 11 A.M. until 2 P.M. at Nebo Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Highway 101, Lexington, with funeral service to follow at 2 P.M. at the church, Brother Terry Herston officiating. Burial will be in Nebo Cemetery. Mr. Balch grew up in the Lexington community and, except for brief periods, including work in Michigan and South Alabama and a year of service in the Navy at the end of World War II, was a lifelong resident of the community. He was the eldest of eleven children of Goldie Clayton Allen Balch and Robert Villard Balch, part of a vast network of cousins, nieces and nephews, the geneology of which he could recall from memory in truly remarkable detail. He served the Nebo congregation as Deacon, Elder, Treasurer and Sunday school teacher. He worked as a machinist diemaker at the Sheffield Ford Motor Company casting plant for over twenty years, known to his pranking workmates as "Bosco" (we never knew why). His finest role was grandfather, performed under a variety of aliases: Granddaddy, Pawpaw, Granddad. Mr. Balch was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Sarah Mae Wallace Balch, his parents Clayton and Villard Balch, sister Louise Balch Williams, and grandson Adam Balch. He is survived by all six of his children, Dennis Balch (Betty), Ann Taylor, Jim Balch (Susan), Keith Balch (Brenda), Judy Grisham (Sammy), Kathy McCain (Dennis); fourteen grandchildren, Cara Balch, Laura Stewart (Donald), Sabrina Hobbs, Melissa Balch, Amanda Reeves (Jeffrey), Christy Puckett (Joey), Brian Balch (Shana), Kevin Balch (Michelle), Kelli Batchelor, Tiffany Volz (David), Alicia Brookens (Aaron), Kirsten McCain, Robert McCain; twenty-two great grandchildren, Taylor Cosby (Mitchell), Aaron Cornelius, Tydus Stewart, Makayla Stewart, Madison Stewart, Ryan Balch, Gabriella Espinosa, Thomas Odom, Lucas Reeves, Eli Reeves, Ava Reeves, Jacob Puckett, Sara Puckett, Hanna Puckett, Molly Balch, Sarah Balch, Grace Balch, Hope Balch, Nicholas Batchelor, Aurora Volz, Serenity Volz, Levi Brookens; and nine siblings, Zelma Hayes, J.V. Balch (Jeannette), Marcie Bullock (Orris), Ralph Balch, Ruth Mashburn, Carol Riddle (Frankie), Ray Balch (Susan), Anthony Balch, Melinda McGee (Larry). Pallbearers will be Brian Balch, Kevin Balch, Aaron Cornelius, Robert McCain, Tydus Stewart, and Danny Williams. The family gratefully acknowledges the support of caregiver Heather Olive and Dr. Edsel Holden and his staff. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Nebo Church or to the Villard and Clayton Allen Balch Scholarship Fund at the University of North Alabama. Greenhill Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.