March 18, 1938 - December 22, 2014
â??Dadâ? After a protracted battle with cancer, Robert Wayne Balam died on December 22, 2014 in Deer Park, WA at the age of 76. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 57 years, Lois Pearl Balam (Pearl); his children, Liz Stoll, Wendy Sweet, Kim Scrima, and Marty Balam. Bob was born to Violet Balam on March 18, 1938 in Spokane, WA. Bob grew up in a single-parent home with his brothers Dick and Dan Balam, both of whom have passed away. Life wasnâ??t easy for these boys, but thatâ??s what made them gritty, tough, and full of love and wit. Bob left home at the age of 17 to join the US Navy where he served for ten years, two of them proudly aboard the USS Lexington. He married Pearl in 1957 and started his family. In 1965 he transferred to the US Air Force in order to spend more time with his family. Bob is a veteran of the Vietnam War and, in 1976, retired with twenty years of service to his country, a degree as a medical technologist, and a plan to move back to his hometown in Spokane. Along with his family of four kids, eight grandchildren, and six great grandchildren, Bob enjoyed laughter, music, fishing, camping, golfing, and good friends, of which he had many. Throughout his life, Bobâ??s greatest gift to us was his music. Bob was the leader of many country music bands, including the Kentucky Ramblers and Country Culture, both of which included family members. He published a record in Nashville, Tennessee, including the songs, â??The Sounds of Slipping Aroundâ? and â??I Guess the Lady Really Loves Me,â? which were aired often on the East coast. Bob requested to be cremated. His ashes will be interred at the Washington Veteranâ??s Cemetery on April 10, 2015. The family will host a memorial service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Deer Park, WA on April 11, 2015. Details will be posted at a later date.
