John Michael Balio

1978 - 2016

John Michael Balio 1978 - 2016
Hero, Beloved Father, Son, and Brother
FRANKFORT - John Michael Balio passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at Massachusetts General Hospital with his daughter, parents, and loving family by his side.
John passed away due to complications of injuries sustained in a plane crash in which he was the pilot. In a heroic effort, John helped his girlfriend Amanda Udell from the plane safely and returned to the burning plane to help his friend James Kasperski, where he sustained his fatal injuries. In an effort to bring the plane down safely, John was able to keep the plane away from the house of Colleen Gozy, where she was home with her children. This is John's legacy.
John was born on May 25, 1978, in New Hartford, NY, the son of Anthony and Donna Balio. He was a 1996 graduate of Frankfort-Schuyler High School and a 2003 graduate of Hamilton College, where he was an economics major with a minor in mathematics.
During his time at Hamilton, John was the recipient of the Sidney Wertimer Jr. Prize Scholarship in economics. He was a staple in the mathematics department under the guidance of the Chair of Mathematics Tim Kelly and Office Administrator Ruth Lessman. Vice President of Communications and Development, Dick Tantillo had a major impact on John's schooling and outlook on life. They eventually became close friends.
John started his career at Morgan Stanley in Manhattan, NY, until he moved to Frankfort. He worked for Lockheed Martin, Partners Trust Bank, and Lightning Fast Freight (John's father, Anthony Balio's company). His career took a different path when he started work for AstraZeneca, and eventually was employed by Patterson Dental, where he quickly made an impact on many co-workers and clients as a dental equipment salesman.
Adventure was John's middle name. His passion for flying defined his soul. He belonged in the air and tried to get everyone he knew in his plane to share his passion. He shared many motorcycle and horseback rides, bonfires in his backyard, camping and hiking trips, and walks down the creek to the hilltop waterfall with his countless friends and family members.
He also had a compassionate side, where he would just listen and let one know with his signature infectious smile, that it would be ok. He somehow knew how to balance life's give and take without skipping a beat.
John is survived by his daughter, Morgan Perry; his father and mother, Anthony and Donna Balio; his eldest brother and sister-in-law, Cosmo and Michelle Balio; his youngest brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Renee Balio; and his girlfriend, Amanda Udell. He will also remain in the hearts of his nieces and nephews, Mikayla Balio, Isabella Balio, Christopher Pierce, Alexander Matthews, and Izzetta Matthews; his many aunts and uncles, Marie Balio, Delores Balio, Guy and Cosimina Provenzano, Tom and Darlene Abbatecola, Roger Maida, Beverly Clark, James Maida, David and Debbie Annatone; his great-aunt, Ann Balio; and his many cousins and friends who were blessed to know him.
The Balio family extends a heartfelt thank you to the Westmoreland Fire Department and the many volunteers that helped at the accident scene; the Intensive Care Unit at St. Elizabeth's Hospital; Upstate University Hospital's Clark Burn Center, especially Dr. Joan Dolinak; Massachusetts General Hospital's Burn Surgery Unit, mainly Dr. John Schulz, Dr. Rajshri Mainthia, Miss Vicki Chang, RN, and Mr. James Ehrlich, RN. They all went above and beyond in their kindness towards John and his family.
John's funeral will be held Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anthony and St. Agnes Church, Utica. Relatives and friends may call on Friday (today) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at The Matt Funeral Home, 700 Rutger St., corner of Mohawk St., Utica, with interment in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frankfort.
In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory may be made online at www.gofundme.com/2w5fqtdg under the John Balio Memorial Fund or at the funeral home to further his daughter Morgan's education.
Online memorials at
MattFuneralHome.com