Mildred Arlene (Gebhart) Balmer

Mildred Arlene Gebhart Balmer passed away Friday, June 7, 2019, in her home surrounded by family. She was born February 22, 1927, to Harry Snyder and Esther Mae Gebhart, in Florin, Mt. Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Millie graduated from Mt. Joy High School in June of 1946. 

Millie worked as a grocery store clerk while in high school, in a shoe factory one summer, and a chocolate factory. She worked several years in a dress factory, and for Educator’s Mutual Insurance Company, as an insurance underwriter, at the time of her marriage.

She married Robert (Bob) Balmer from Middletown, Pennsylvania on February 6, 1954, in the Wee Kirk of the Heather at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California. They had three sons: Dale Richard (Jolinda), Douglas Walter (Stephanie) and Ronald Lee (Catharina). They settled in Brigham City, Utah in 1965.

She was an active member of the Brigham City Presbyterian Church; she read her Bible every morning with a cup of tea and prayed every night after writing in her journal. She was an avid reader, word puzzle expert, and a lover of salty PA pretzels with mustard and a Coke. She enjoyed watching her soap opera and her nighttime shows, but most of all, she loved watching her grandkids and great grandkids play. They always knew Grandma Millie was up for a game of checkers or Chinese Checkers but beating her was another matter!

She was known around town for her volunteer work: a church Deacon for three years, Habitat for Humanity for nearly 15 years, and the Soup Kitchen, with her husband Bob, for 5 years. In 2000, she received the Total Citizen of the Year award from the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce. She was known for her excellent cooking and baking. Her vegetable beef soup was known by family as “World Famous,” and her Shoofly pie was sought after at many community bake sales. Baking Sandtart cookies at Christmas will bring back fond memories of all the generations that have enjoyed making this favorite treat Millie made as a little girl, and which her great-grandchildren now make. “Just don’t over decorate them!”

She is survived by her sons and daughters in law, her brother, Harry (Betty) Gebhart, eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, with one coming in October, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Bob; her parents; brothers, Howard, Robert, Charles, and John; and sister, Helen.

The family would like to give a special thank you to: Callie Taylor, owner of Ali’s Angels, for your many years of dedicated and devoted home health care. You were more to her than her nurse, you were her friend, confidante, and true angel on Earth; Erin Zielinski, also of Ali’s Angels, thank you for your nursing care, friendship, and the Christmas baking you did with her; Meals On Wheels for providing a great, nutritional lunch every day. She loved looking at the monthly menu and letting us know what she was going to get the next day. The men and women who delivered her meals, but also interacted with her daily, you were a blessing to her and her family.

Services will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 E., Brigham City, UT.  A public viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30, prior to the services.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Brigham City Meals on Wheels, via the Brigham City Senior Center, P.O. Box 1005, Brigham City, UT 84302 435-226-1450.                 

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