Memorial
Josephine Luella Balvin, 91, passed away peacefully at 3:00am on Christmas at Heritage in Cedar Rapids.
She was born June 30th, 1933, in Lone Tree, Iowa, and grew up in Central City. The second eldest of ten children, she helped in the raising of her younger siblings on the Eden farm where she milked cows, chased chickens, and walked barefoot to and from school half the year. She often talked about the summer days she and her siblings spent in a boxcar. She played the accordion and loved going to polka and square dances. Jo graduated as valedictorian from Central City High in 1951 and then started work in the office of Central City Produce. In 1955, she moved to a Cedar Rapids apartment with sisters Nelda and Velma and worked in the office at Collins Radio.
Jo met Allen Balvin at a square dance at CSPS hall in 1957 and he asked her out to dinner. Their courtship involved a lot of hiking, visiting with friends and family, and, of course, more square dancing. They married October 28th, 1958, at St. James Methodist Church and honeymooned in Nashville. She loved the mountain view. Together they raised their four children in a house in Van Horne with a big yard and garden, feeding the animals on the farm in exchange for rent. She would sew matching clothing for the whole family to wear out to the dances. After their kids grew up, she and Allen would visit the Grand Ole Opry, cross-country ski, and take their grandkids on bike rides all the way to Waterloo. When her mother passed, she became the family matriarch and kin keeper, making sure those who moved away still stayed part of the family.
In her later years she shared a home in Cedar Rapids with her youngest daughter Christy, and loved caring for her cats and garden, birdwatching, researching genealogy/family history, writing, and going for walks. Around age 85 she racked up over 100 miles in one single summer! Her family fondly remembers her baking kolaches around the holidays, her handmade calendars and greeting cards, and the packets of jokes, poems, and animal facts she sent out. She even captured her memories in a collection of essays that will be treasured.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mildred and Russel Eden; her husband, Allen Balvin; siblings, Calvin Eden, Nelda Kiracofe, Velma Eden, and Elva Herman.
She is survived by siblings, Bonnie Kubik, Juanita Eden, Judy Soukup, Rachel Willis (Dean) and Becky Vlcko (Steve); her children, James Balvin (Rosalia), Laurie Miller (Matthew), Terry Balvin (Jennifer), and Christy Balvin; her grandchildren, Brittany Miller (Alex), Zachary Miller (Jena), Jacob Miller (Laura), Riley Miller (Jenna), and Scott Balvin (Austin); and six great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m., until the memorial service at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 1, 2025, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Entombment will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.