Frank Joseph Balusek Obituary

Frank Joseph Balusek attended Bay City High School in Bay City, TX. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Frank Joseph Balusek.

Graduation Year	Faculty
Date of Passing	Mar 21, 1990
About	Frank Joseph Balusek was born July 5, 1907, in Guadalupe, Victoria County, Texas. He was the son of Frank F. and Frances (Schiller) Balusek. Frank F. had emigrated with his parents from Czechoslovakia in 1896, settling in Nelsonville, Austin County, Texas. After graduating from high school and after attending Victoria Junior College, Victoria, Texas, for one year, Frank J. received a teachers certificate. In 1925 Frank Balusek started teaching in Placedo, Texas, and little did he realize that teaching the third and fourth grades in Placedo was the beginning of 45 years of teaching. On August 15, 1930, Frank J. Balnsek married Lilly Mae Couch from Victoria County. Lilly Mae was born March 13, 1905, in Victoria County. They both taught school, and during the summer they entered Southwest Texas Teacher College working toward their bachelor of science (BS) degrees. In addition to teaching at Placedo, Frank taught at Collegeport and Cedar Lane. He received his BS in 1936 and a permanent teachers certificate. He taught at Old Gulf from 1936 until the school closed. He said, "E. J. Meyers and I closed the Gulf School down and both came to Bay City to teach." In 1938 Frank Balusek started teaching science and history in the Bay City High School. He continued to work toward higher education. On August 29, 1939, he received his MEd from the University of Texas. Frank Balusek entered the air corps, April 2, 1944. He and his family were stationed in Venice, Florida. World War II drew to a close, and Corporal Balusek received his honorable discharge September 20, 1945. Frank Balusek taught at Kennedy, Texas, for part of 1945 and in Mathis High School from 1945 to 1946. In 1946 he and his family returned to Bay City where he was elementary principal from 1946 to 1958. He received his master of letters degree from the University of Houston in 1952. While in the Bay City lSD, he served the district as a teacher, secondary principal, elementary principal, curriculum director, and administration assistant superintendent. He gave 30 of his 45 years of teaching to Bay City. Frank Balusek retired June 15, 1972. Frank Balusek is past president of the Rotary Club; past president of District 4, Teachers Elementary Principals Association; member of Salvation Army; City Recreation Board; and First Baptist Church where he served as an active deacon and treasurer. Lilly Mae (Couch) Balusek was a teacher in this area for 29 years. She received her BS from Southwest Texas Teachers College, San Marcos, Texas. She taught in Port Lavaca, Old Gulf, Cedar Lane, Van Vleck, and seventh grade language and arts in Bay City. She taught 29 years, 16 of them in Bay City. Due to ill health, Lilly was forced to give up her teaching profession in March, 1968. Frank J. and Lillie Balusek were blessed with a daughter, Frances. She married Ira Rose, Jr., in 1966. They have a daughter, Katherine Lynn. Frances and Ira are teachers in the Tidehaven and Sweeny schools. Lilly Mae Balusek died July 31,1984, and was buried in Roselawn Memorial Park, Van Vleck. Frank Balusek is a resident of Bay Villa Nursing Home, Bay City. He is very proud that the four teachers in his immediate family have taught a total of 114 years with most of the years being in Matagorda County. Frank J. Balusek's life is an open book. He has made scrapbooks of his college life, teaching career, military service, community activities, and family. He is well acquainted with these large notebooks in his room and can go to a certain shelf, pick up a special notebook and relive a particular time of life dear to his heart. Mr. Balusek died March 21, 1990 and was buried at Roselawn Memorial Park in Van Vleck.