Earl Calvin Balder

Earl Calvin BALDER Beloved son, father, and grandfather, passed away December 2nd after losing a battle with cancer. He is survived by his mother, Bess Hoodenpyle; brother, Gary Balder; daughters, Lisa (Mark) Weller, Amy (Pierre) Robitaille; sons, Daniel (Kim) Balder, Steven Balder; stepsons, Jim (Cindy) O'Neill, Greg O'Neill, Jeff (Ruth) O'Neill; grandchildren, Matthew, Rachel, Mark, Alexandre, Chris, James, Jake, Linsey, Jamie, Ashlee; and great-granddaughter, Mikayla. Earl was born in Minot, North Dakota on May 8, 1940. His family moved to Seattle from Portland, Oregon in 1950. After graduating from Queen Anne High School, he worked as a glazier until his retirement. He started Magnolia Mirror and Glass Co. in 1973 with his uncle, Robert Balder, and continued working in the glass business for over 40 years. Earl's droll sense of humor and likable personality endeared him to the many people he met over the course of his life. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed traveling to tournaments with his golfing buddies. He was always testing new clubs trying to find that perfect swing. A true sports fan, he enjoyed the camaraderie of the Magnolia community and an occasional wager with the crew at his favorite neighborhood establishment. The support and caring of his many friends was especially meaningful to Earl and his family during his illness. He will be dearly missed by all of us who loved and knew him. A Celebration of Earl's Life will be held at the Swedish Cultural Center at 1920 Dexter Ave N on Friday, December 8th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held at Admiral Congregational Church on Saturday, December 9th, 4320 SW Hill St. in West Seattle at 2:00 p.m. Remembrances may be made to the Childrens Hospital or a favorite charity.