Parents Father: BALCOM, Rubric Garfield Mother: SABEAN, Grace Helena Birth Born on November 16, 1918 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA Death Died on January 03, 2017 in Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA Buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA Marriages LINDSEY, Jeanne Elizabeth Married on June 14, 1946 in Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA Children BALCOM, Dianne Elizabeth: May 20, 1947 BALCOM, John Lindsey: October 03, 1949 - June 22, 2021 BALCOM, Adrianne Carol: March 06, 1951 Notes Occupation: Clergyman - Episcopal Obituary: MHERST - The Reverend John M. Balcom of Amherst, passed away Tuesday, January 3, 2017, at the age of 98, after a long illness. Born Nov. 16, 1918, in Boston, to Rubric G. and Helena Grace (Sabean) Balcom, he grew up in Quincy, where he was a member of Christ Church and active in the YMCA. He was a graduate of Quincy High School, Massachusetts State College (University of Massachusetts Amherst), the Episcopal Theological Seminary (EDS), and Harvard Divinity School. In college he was active in many Christian organizations and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He was ordained in December 1942, and held parishes in Walpole and Norwood, and served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He visited Alaska in the summer of 1942, and helped build a new church. He returned to Alaska in 1944 as a Missionary for the Diocese of Alaska, serving in Ft. Yukon, Nenana, Tanacross and Fairbanks, Alaska, also visiting small villages along the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, as well as U.S. Air Bases along the Alaskan Highway. He had a special relationship with the Athabascan Chief, John Healy in Healy Lake. He only returned to Massachusetts to marry his wife, Jeanne, in Amherst and visit Cape Cod, before taking up pastoral duties in Fairbanks until 1947. During his long priesthood in the Diocese of Massachusetts, he served parishes in Holbrook, Chelmsford and Newton Highlands (St. Paul's) until his retirement in 1982. While in Newton, he was Protestant Chaplain at Boston University, UMass Boston, president of the Newton Council of Churches, Mayor's Chaplain, and Fire and Police Chaplain and was given the Key to the City of Newton for his service. He was also president of the Newton Rotary Club and active in the Masonic Lodges, as well as Order of the Eastern Star Organizations in both Newton and Amherst, and Royal Arch. He also was Monarch of the Mahded Grotto in Dedham. When retired to Amherst, he became a member of the Pelham Historical Society, Amherst Rotary Club, Wesleyan Methodist Church and Grace Episcopal Church. John, also, made a "pulpit exchange" with his family, to a parish in Hook, Surrey, England from 1955 to 1956. He and his family traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, Israel and Egypt, the United Kingdom, Iceland, the Caribbean, and visited all 50 United States. He leaves many friends in Germany and the UK. Daily Hampshire Gazette Northampton,MA January 5,2017 Sources Massachusetts Cemeteries: Wildwood Cemetery Amherst,MA Images John & Jeanne (Lindsey) Balcom