Anita Marie Gelston Ballek

I only meet Anita Ballek one time, but it was a memorable meeting. I am a descendant of Nicholas and Hannah Ackley. As I was working on my research of the Ackley family, I discovered Anita and the Ballek's Garden Center. I knew I had to meet her, so I planned a trip to East Haddam, CT. Anita showed me and my husband around the garden center. She invited us into her home and gave me some history of the early Ackley family to America. She even had a lady take us to the Old Cove Burial Ground. I don't remember that lady's name but she was related to the Brainard family. Thank you Anita for taking the time to let me explore the land of Nicholas Ackley and to even see the Ackley family's rest place. I will never forget you, Anita.
Joan Davis of Bryan, Ohio.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I'm so sorry to hear of Anita's passing. She taught me to love plants. She was always willing to answer my questions and teach me about her plants in the greenhouse. I enjoyed seeing her in the greenhouse and will miss her presence there.

I'm sorry to hear of her passing. Anita knew and loved her plants. She taught me to never be afraid cutting ("grooming") plants. I remember she used to walk around with her scissors and knew just what to snip off to make a plant happy. She and her family are the reason why I love and live with so many beautiful plants both indoors and out.

Anita and her first husband, Bob, were good friends of my parents, Alice and Gene Taylor. I spent many evenings babysitting for Anita and Bob when their young children needed to be supervised. The old house was a great place to spend dark nights in.
Anita was always welcoming when myself or any of my siblings visited the Garden Center. I know that she was very pleased when her children kept the Garden Center and continued it as a thriving business. Thanks to her family for maintaining the legacy.

Anita was a gracious, knowledgeable supporter of agricultural education. During my 28 years as AG teacher in East Haddam, Anita was an invaluable resource to me and my students. I am saddened at her passing and so grateful for the help and encouragement she so freely gave to me.

Condolences to the entire family. I have & will continue to appreciate Ballek Garden Center, the beauty of plants, flowers . Thank you.
C. Cameron

Anita introduced me to the idea of how important being proactive about advocating for land--particularly farmland--conservation is to the long-term well-being of our local food supply and ecosystem with the additional benefit of helping keep the spread of suburban sprawl from becoming rammpant in Eastern CT. I was fortunate to meet her back in 1999 when my husband had recently bought an insurance business in East Haddam and we had moved to the area. The occasion was an East Haddam Lions Club social gathering at her home where I was introduced to her. During our long conversation that evening, she was superbly knowledgeable and persuasive on this subject. Ultimately it developed that she was the major inspiration for my commitment to the cause as I became, with others, a founding member of the Colchester Land Trust. Anita was the CLT's very first honorary guest at our planning committee's inaugural Christmas gathering in 2002. Her influence on the vitality of this important kind of civic activism should never be underestimated.

Anita will be missed by so many, her knowledge of plants was beyond compare! I will miss my friend! God bless her family!