Jared M. Balkman

Jared Mitchell Balkman, age 43, died peacefully on Monday June 17, 2024, surrounded by his family.
Jared was born on June 7, 1981, to Mark and Luann Balkman. During a happy childhood he taught himself to read before stepping into a classroom, ruled the baseball diamonds of Plamann Park, won spelling bees (besting his older brother in the process), and conquered computer games. With some help from his brothers he invented new sports, including Hand Soccer, Tennis Racket Home Run Derby, and Invisible Baseball.
Jared excelled in traditional sports as well, earning all-conference honors four times in baseball and playing on his high school golf and basketball teams. Recreationally, he served as an undersized center and earned a reputation as a defensive menace, daring opponents to attempt short layups in the lane in church league basketball, but he only occasionally played defense in the city league.
Academically, Jared was a life-long scholar. After graduating from Fox Valley Lutheran High School in 1999, he earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics and two minors in Linguistics and Language Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Jared briefly attended North Carolina State University, and during his final years, he was working on a master's degree in Data Science while employed as an IT Integration Engineer at UW-Madison. In 2011 Jared traveled to California to become a contestant and eventual 2nd place finisher on an episode of Jeopardy.
In his youth Jared always knew where Carmen Sandiego was, and, as an adult, he got the chance to explore the world himself. He spent considerable time abroad, having his passport stamped on long tours to such far reaches as Japan and Bolivia, teaching English and computer science while exploring the many environs, people, cultures, and cuisines.
Jared also had a special passion for music throughout his life. Largely self-taught he was skilled with the guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica. Over the years he played many live shows in coffee shops and later began sharing performances via Instagram.
Jared lived a full life. He traveled, published research, ran marathons (multiple sub-4:00 hours), loved his cats Eudora and Rocky, hiked, and enjoyed Seinfeld and other pop culture references for laughs. He felt happiness. He encouraged others. He experienced sadness and pain. He extended kindness. And he loved.
Jared was preceded in death by his grandparents Llewellyn and Shirley Balkman and Antone and Gerda Kuba.
He is survived by his parents: Mark and Luann Balkman, Grand Chute; brothers: Eric (Jennifer) Balkman and Lucas and Emma, Appleton; Michael (Lucy) Balkman and Isaac, godson Samuel, and Eevie, Mequon; uncle Scott Balkman, California, and uncle Jerry Kuba, Black Creek; aunt Janis (Chris) Giordanelli, South Carolina. Jared is further survived by many extended family members and friends.
A Christian funeral will be held on Saturday, June 22, at St. Peter Lutheran Evangelical Church (922 Ministries) at N2740 French Road, Appleton, WI 54913, with visitation from 9:00 am until 10:30 am and the service immediately following.
In lieu of other memorials the family encourages those who would like to give in Jared's memory to consider Fox Valley Lutheran High School or organizations which support those suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other forms of addiction.
In addition to a heartfelt thank you to the ICU team at UW Health for its compassionate care during his final days, the family credits the richness of Jared's experience on this earth to the many individuals who over the years extended their hand to help, listen, and pray. Please know neither Jared nor his family would be the same without your support.
Jared is now celebrating eternal life with his Savior in heaven. A living tribute to him would include a life lived as a child of God, full of love, kindness, and humor in nearly everything.
Numbers 6:24-26 – "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD look upon you with favor and give you his peace."
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