Patricia Janet Balaam, age 74 years, of Key Largo, FL, died suddenly on Friday, March 1, 2019 at Baptist Main Hospital, Kendall, FL, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Trenton, NJ, February 10, 1945, daughter of the late Stanley Ploski, Sr. and Blanche Zuczek Ploski, she had formerly resided in Delaware Township and Hopewell Township, NJ prior to moving to Florida in 2007.

A 1963 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pat was the retired owner and operator of the Whitehouse Deli, Readington Township, NJ as well as the Rosemont General Store, Rosemont, NJ.

A larger-than-life personality, Pat was always involved wherever she was; most recently she was involved with the Key Largo Women of the Moose, the local Elks Club in her area, and the V.F.W. of Key Largo.

If Pat were able to compose her own life legacy, it would surely be short, sweet and to the point: just like she was and will forever be! Strong-willed, caring, and passionate in anything she did, she would want it known that she was a loving daughter, wife, mother, nana, great nana, sister, aunt, and friend to all. Family came first and was her world. Period.

Truly embodying the term, “matriarch,” Pat’s smile was one in a million. She was a strong female presence for the women in her family, and was always encouraging everyone to constantly pursue their dreams. Pat had more energy than the energizer bunny and she never stopped challenging herself with new goals, which usually were fulfilled in short order.

Her hobbies were varied and ranged from gambling to playing Yahtzee and various other board games (where she would clean house every game), to  cooking to racing to simply living each and every moment of life to its fullest.

Devoted to her faith, Pat believed in a heaven where we would all one day be reunited with our loved ones who have gone before; she is certainly with her mother and sister who both passed within the last six months, as well as her beloved daughter, and together they are helping make heaven quite the place for when we all will join with them when the Eternal Father calls us each home.

As mentioned, Pat’s smile lit up any room and her hug and quick wit could help any situation. She would want all of you reading this to remember that smile and wit, coupled with a cigarette and vodka and club soda with lime, telling you to laugh and smile and not be saddened over her death, but rather laugh and smile because she lived and she loved with every fiber of her being.

As is written in Corinthians, “…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these, is love.” Go out and live your lives loving one another, and you will honor Pat.

In addition to her parents, Pat was preceded in death by her cherished daughter, Deborah Lynn Balaam in 2002 and her sister, Carolyn Godown in 2018.

Surviving are her husband of forty-seven years, Robert J. Balaam, Sr., with whom she joined hands in marriage on July 10, 1971; her children, Brenda DeGrange and her husband, Dale and Robert J. Balaam, Jr. and his wife, Jacqi; seven grandchildren, Melissa Miller, Dale DeGrange, Jr., Jamie DeGrange, Shawna DeGrange, Brandon Winger, Madison Balaam, and Josephine Balaam; her great grandchildren, Chase and Troy Miller; her siblings, Connie Pickell, Stanley Ploski, Jr. and his wife, Carla, Barbara Fechter and her husband, Frank, Joan Lieber and her husband, Augie, Kathleen Arena and her husband, Sal, and Jessica Hughes and her husband, John; many extended family; and many dear friends.

Pat will lie in repose on Sunday, March 10, 2019, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. A short celebration of life service will take place at 4:00 p.m. where family and friends are invited to help share in her legacy.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh will take place on Monday, March 11, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Church, 54 East Prospect Street, Hopewell, NJ. Everyone is kindly requested to meet directly at the Church on Monday morning beginning at 9:15 a.m.

Entombment will follow at Ewing Church Mausoleum, Ewing Township, NJ.

Please visit Pat’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com where one can light a candle and leave a message of condolence and words of comfort, as well as share stories and photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her honor may be made to the American Cancer Society.

_____________________________________________________

Wright & Ford, your local, family owned “Life Celebration Home”