John Balla

John Balla, 82, of Allentown, passed away Tue., Sep. 17, 2019 in the Hospice Unit of Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown. He was the loving husband of Joan A. (Keller) Balla for 35 years. John was born in Hungary and spent much of his young life there, earning a degree in Accounting before coming to the United States in his early 20s. Once in the states, he taught himself English by watching television and held many different jobs in the food industry. He was known for his kindness and gentle disposition. John was a member of St. Thomas More Church in Allentown. Surviving with his "sweetheart" Joan are step-children, Brian Artz (Sandy) and Janine Burns; his daughters, Georgie and Margaret; several grandchildren; and step-grandchildren: Jonathan, Caroline, Stella and Alex. He was preceded in death by a son, Zoltan; daughter, Elizabeth; his sister and parents. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 AM Mon., Sep. 23 in St. Thomas More Church, 1040 Flexer Ave., Allentown. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Science Department of St. Thomas More School, 1031 Flexer Ave., Allentown 18103 or to the Lehigh Valley Health Network Cancer Institute, PO Box 1883, Allentown, PA 18105. Arrangements were entrusted to Stephens Funeral Home, Inc., Allentown. www.stephensfuneral.com