Douglas G Balaka

Douglas Glenn “Teach” Balaka, age 68, passed away from a heart attack, May 28, 2020. He was born July 23rd, 1951 in Dearborn, Michigan.  He was the oldest of four sons of Jerry (deceased) and Virginia Balaka.  He graduated from Haigh Elementary, Bryant Junior High, Dearborn High School (1969). He completed his Bachelor of Science at Western Michigan University in December, 1973. He obtained a Masters Mathematics Education in the summer of 1991 from Wayne State University.

He did his student teaching in Traverse City and Kalamazoo. He substitute taught in the Crestwood and Dearborn Public School Systems (1974-76).  His first full-time teaching assignment was at St. Mary Elementary School in Royal Oak during the 1976-77 school year. 

In 1977, he took a position at St. Vincent Middle School in Corktown where he taught Social Studies, History, Math, Science, English, and Reading.  He was also coach for boys and girls sports: including basketball, baseball, softball and soccer.  He was named  Athletic Director for the sports program.

His last school was Garden City High School where he mostly taught math and history and where he recently retired from.

Outside of teaching, he was an avid Detroit sports fan following the Tigers, Lions, Wings and University of Michigan Football.  He had season tickets for the same U of M Football seats for decades with the same group of fans who became a tight-knit group every football Saturday.

In 1995, he began his “summer job” of selling tickets for the Detroit Tigers, which he continued until his death.  Many of his family and friends always looked for him in his box office when they went to a Tiger’s games at both Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park. He also sold tickets for the Detroit Lions for several years.

He was well liked by his students, fellow teachers, friends and loved by his family.  He spent years “dropping off the papers” for his aging mother (but was really checking on her twice a day).  That morphed into preparing breakfast, dinner and medications twice a day as she became less able to do things for herself. He was always willing to help in any way, including his final donation of tissues and organs to Gift of Life – Michigan.

He is survived by his mother Virginia Balaka; brothers: Alan Balaka, Robert (Wendy) Balaka and Gerald Balaka; and nieces, Lindsay Balaka, Amanda Balaka, Jessie Balaka and Abbi Balaka.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the family plans a private cremation with a memorial service in several months when larger gatherings are deemed safer.

If you would like to donate a remembrance in Doug's name, please consider the American Heart Association Detroit

or

Detroit PAL Organization - in lieu of flowers.