Gordy the mailman, the dad, granddad, great-granddad, master of common sense, friend & lover of food passed away in his sleep on August 13, 2025.He was active & living alone up to the end. He had driven the night before to the Dairy Queen to get himself a chocolate shake & left this world much like he ended phone calls, abruptly.
Born April 11, 1931, in Kilkenny, MN, to Hattie (Born) & Michael Balfe. His strong values, of family, helping others, & appreciating what you have, all began there & continued on during his entire well spent life.
He married Jacquelyn (Miller) in 1952, & was drafted into the USMC during the Korean Conflict. He joked with his family that the armistice was signed while he was en route to Korea because they knew he was coming. He then spent time in Japan & bought a camera.
He worked almost his entire work life at the USPS as a letter carrier out of Minnehaha Station.
Gordy was an extraordinary person. He had a photographic memory & was an entertaining & factual story teller. He was an adventurer & camped with his family. He was involved with his church parish & school. He was a member of the Holy Name Society. He was a caretaker for those who needed caretaking & uniquely never expected anything in return. He had a loud booming voice & was funny. He kept up with all of his Montgomery highschool friends.
Preceded in death by his wife Jacquelyn, his parents, his sisters & brothers, Delores (Weed), Anna Marie (King), Herbert William Balfe, Darlene (Barber), Dewey Balfe. Son-in-law James Rohde.
Survived by his children: Michael Earl (Nancy), Sue Bednarski (Joe), Paula Balfe-Rohde (Jim), Beth Balfe, his granddaughters Katelyn Bednarski (Mike Anderson), Claire Bednarski, nieces & nephews, & the absolute love & joy of his life, Eleanor & Gordy Anderson. His great-grandchildren kept him going as long as he did.
Visitation 11 a.m, and Service at Noon will be held at St. Albert the Great Church on Thursday, August 28. Luncheon to be held afterward.