Stephen Lee Balser

Stephen Lee Balser, husband of Virginia Farrar Balser of Norwalk, passed away Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at Norwalk Hospital. Born on October 27, 1945 in New York City, he was the son of the late Dr. Benjamin Balser and Paula Balser. After attending local schools through grade six, he spent one year at Rye Country Day School and then five years at Wilbraham Academy. Steve attended Syracuse University and graduated in 1967 with a BA in History. During his teaching career, he also received a Master's Degree in History from Wesleyan University and a Master's Degree in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.
Steve was very proud of his long career working with students and faculty in independent schools. After three years at The Hoosac School in Hoosick New York as a history teacher, he taught for sixteen years at Baltimore Friends School. It was there that he embraced the Quaker faith, which he held for the rest of his life, mostly recently attending the Friends Meeting in Wilton, CT Shortly after Steve moved on to Cheshire Academy, he became the Director of Studies there. At Rye Country Day School, he was a beloved teacher and administrator from 1996 until his retirement in 2015. He came out of retirement several times to substitute at Greens Farms Academy where Ginny taught and where he was proud to clock his 50th year of teaching. In retirement, Steve volunteered at the Yale Center for British Art, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion, and the Pequot Library.
Anyone who was ever with Steve in a classroom remembers the energy and enthusiasm he put into his teaching. He absolutely loved both history and adolescents and his students loved him back. Many a reluctant learner over the years responded to his passion for his subject and became a history buff themselves. Steve was a scholar of many different time periods and he read history voraciously, constantly adding to his knowledge base and inspiring his students to do the same. Steve's relationships with his students were enhanced by his eagerness to share his love of athletics. Over the years, he coached at least six sports at his various schools.
Steve's love of history was very much part of another love, that of antiques, particularly Early American furniture, tools, toys and other household items. He was always collecting beautiful things for his home, and when that got a bit crowded, he began to sell some of what he had collected, beginning his side-career as an antique dealer. He loved the hunt and scoured the estate sales and flea markets in his area and wherever in the world he travelled. Steve and Ginny were regular sellers at area antique sales and the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market, and many friends and family members have lovely historical items in their homes from Steve.
Steve adored his two children, Eli Balser (Allie) and Annie Legge (David) and their children, Abraham and Ruthie Rose Balser and Jack and Eliza Legge. When Annie and Eli were young, he never missed a game and often practiced their sports with them. He was also a loving stepfather to Lucy Terzis ('Ilaheva Tua'one), Panayiotis Terzis (Marie Oh) and Stavritsa Terzis and Grandpa to Lucy and Tola. Steve is survived by all the children and grandchildren, and by his brothers Paul Balser (Paula DelNunzio) and Richard Balser (Norma) and many nieces and nephews. Though he and Ginny met when they were both teaching at Cheshire Academy, he had spent a good deal of time at Cushings Island in Portland Maine, where his brother and her family owned summer cottages, and summer family gatherings on Cushings continued to be an important part of their lives Steve had a long line of dogs in his life, and most recently the dachshunds Sami and Jojo were beloved companions.
Steve was a people person, eager to connect with others and share stories and life experiences. His warmth, interest in those around him and fabulous sense of humor made him a great person to have at any gathering. He reveled in cooking good food to share, and both on the island in Maine and at their home in Norwalk, he and Ginny hosted many dinners, parties and holiday meals for friends and family. Steve was once described as "turbo" and he was indeed unstoppable. Even when his body began to tell him to slow down, he still went full steam ahead, and he and Ginny thought they had many adventures ahead of them. He will be deeply missed by many.
At Steve's explicit wish, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to Baltimore Friends School at https://alumni.friendsbalt.org/giving, Cheshire Academy at cheshireacademy.org/give, or the Cushings Island Conservation Corporation at https://sites.google.com/site/cushingsconservation/doantion?authuser=0.