Donald Eugene Balty

Donald Eugene Balty was carefully transferred from the loving hands of his family into the arms of his heavenly Father at 10 AM on January 8, 2009, at his home in Milan, Ill. He was 71 years old.
The Balty family invites friends and family to visitation at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, 3030 7th Ave., Rock Island, Ill., on Sunday, January 11, from 2 to 5 PM. The funeral will be Monday, January 12, at 11 AM, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Gideon’s International.
Born in Nyssa, Ore., on May 24, 1937 the only child of Rev. Raymond and Amie (Bender) Balty. Donald made Jesus Christ His Lord and Savior at the age of 15.
Donald fell in love with Glenda Garton as they returned to Kansas with their parents from the first conference of the Bible Missionary Church in Denver, Colo., in 1956. They became engaged three months later and married on April 19, 1957.
He is survived by Glenda, his wife of 51 years and three children, Tim (and Carolyn) of Fairbanks, Ala., Lisa (and Charles) Croyle, Des Moines, Iowa, and David (and Amy) of Atlanta, Ga. Don and Glenda have seven grandchildren.
Don owned and operated First Choice Auto Sales Center, Rock Island, for 16 years. He was a member of the Illinois Auto Dealers Association and the National Independent Auto Dealers Association.
A Member of the Coal Valley Bible Missionary Church, Donald lived a life of integrity, devoted to God and his family.
He had many interests among which are collecting books, cars and travel.
A second funeral will occur near his boyhood home in Mankato, Kan., at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at the Melby Mortuary Chapel, Mankato, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 9:00 a.m. until service time at the mortuary on Wednesday. Don will be interred at Burr Oak Cemetery, Burr Oak, Kan., where he will be awaiting Resurrection morning.