William Balmer, 85, of Rochester and formerly of the Akron/Mentone areas, passed at 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 10, 2014, at Hickory Creek of Rochester.

He was born March 27, 1929, in St. Joseph County, Ind. to Albert and Elsie (Perry) Balmer. On May 19, 1951, in Fort Rucker, Ala., to Alice V. Perry she survives.

Bill worked from 1953 to 1958 as a milk hauler for Eldon Germann, then for the Burket Elevator from 1965 to 1972. He served on the Kosciusko County Franklin Township Advisory Board for 18 years. He retired from farming in 1992 and began working for Scott’s Food Store in Rochester from 1994 to 2002.

He was a member of the Beaver Dam United Methodist Church. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.

He is survived by his wife; daughters: Jeannie A. (Jim) Smith, Rochester; Janet L. (John) Lipps; son: Wayne E. (Merlinda) Balmer, Roann, Ind.; grandchildren: David, Debra, Shaun, Brian, Jeremy, Jason, Michael and Joshua; nine great-grandchildren; sister: Shirley Lakins, Bremen; brother: Eldon (Florence) Balmer, Castorville, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son: Stanley R. Balmer; daughter-in-law: Jean Balmer; sisters: Leona Nickerson and Esther Young; brothers: Harold, Perry, Delbert and Roger Balmer.

Visitation will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at King Memorial Home, Mentone. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at the funeral home. Burial will be held in Mentone Cemetery, where graveside military rites will be performed by the American Legion and the VFW of Warsaw.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church Building Fund or the Fulton County Transpo.