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Firman Joseph Balza
& Nathalie M. Larscheid

Firman Joseph BALZA was born in the town of Humbolt, Brown County Wisconsin. The third son of Theophile Antoine Joseph BALZA and Mary Louise LEURQUIN (Massey). Firman attended the Water Division School, a one room school house, through the fourth grade, until the family moved into the city of Green Bay.  In Green Bay he attended SS. Peter and Paul Parochial school for the remainder of fourth and all of fifth grade.  For the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades he attended Wells School.  While in school he was active in the Boy Scouts, and then later the Sea Scouts where he got a hankering to go to sea. He joined the United States Navy in January of 1941 at the age of seventeen.

Firman was first sent to Great Lakes Naval Base for basic seamans training, and then sent to the Pacific Fleet. He was assigned to the USS Maryland, stationed in Pearl Harbor, where he got On-The-Job training and became a gunner's mate. He was on the USS Maryland, on Sunday, December 7th, 1941 where he and his fellows fought to save their ship against an attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor.

After surviving the Japanese attack he stayed with the USS Maryland for three years (home leave) then was transferred to a net-tender which maintained anti-submarine nets in the harbor. He was also sent to Bikini Atoll to witness the use of an Atom Bomb on that island.

Firman was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1947, and returned to Green Bay. he went to work for Knoller Electric as an appliance repairman for about a year in 1948, before accepting a position with the Green Bay Public Service Company.

Nathalie Mildred LARSCHEID was born in Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin.  Nathalie was the fourth child of Joseph Peter LARSCHEID and Bertha Mary GILLE. Nathalie attended SS Peter and Paul school in Green bay, then attended East High School.  Upon graduation she worked for the Kraft Cheese Company.

Firman  Balza married Nathalie Mildred Larscheid on Apr 29th, 1949, his best man was his older brother Gall Anton Balza. Nathalie's maid of honor was her sister Phillis Larscheid. They had two children.

In 1953, Firman build his first pop-up tent trailer for camping, a vehicle that brought much enjoyment to his immediate family, and was borrowed by at least one brother for inexpensive but enjoyable family vacations. In 1968 Firman cross trained from being an appliance repairman to an electronics techniciam for the Public Service.

Firman has always been a man of action, being in the right place at the right time. In 1970? he saved another Public Service employee, when a Gas Substation exploded. Again, in 1976 while camped along the Powder River in Colorado he saved a young woman from drowing in the fast flowing spring run-off by grabbing an extension cord from his trailer, throwing it to her and pulling her to safety.

Firman retired after 37 years with the Public Service in 1985. He is currently enjoying his retirement by working on and flying small aircraft, fishing and hunting.  He and Nathalie also enjoy travelling and their grandchildren.

Memories:

BALZA Ancestry 

The surname BALZA is a derivation (Belzer, Balzac, Balzer, etc.) of  the ancient name "BALTHAZAR" (one of the three wise men).  The country of origin for this Balza family is Belgium more specifically Sart-Walhain in Namur Province where we've traced our earliest known ancestors.  At this time the earliest known family group with the Balza surname is Jean Joseph BALZA who married Marie Therese BRABANT.  Very little is known about this family - it is still a subject for on-going research (Jean Joseph Balza Sr. Family History). They had at least one son Jean Joseph Balza (1804 - 1889) who married Virginie BERO (1807 - 1872) and they where blessed with eight children (Jean Joseph Balza Family History).  The youngest of these was Antoine BALZA (1845 - 1927) who married Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT (1845 - 1927).  Antoine and Antoinette had six children while living in Belgium. They and five of their six children immigrated to Duval, Door County Wisconsin in 1880 and became U.S. Citizens. They had four more children in Duval (Antoine Balza Family History). Their sixth foreign born child was Theophile Antoine Joseph BALZA (1878 - 1941) who first married Mathilda FINENDAEL (1882 - 1917) and later Mary Louise LEURQUIN Boncher  ( 1894 - 1967). Theophile and Mary Louise had three children the youngest of which was Firman Joseph BALZA who is described above.

LEURQUIN Ancestry 

The LEURQUIN surname is very much a research in progress.  The origin of the Leurquin family like the Balza family is Belgium.  According to the immigration records they come from the area around the city of Temploux.  Our earliest known Leurquin ancestor is Desire LEURQUIN (1824 - 1910) who married Cecelia BOURNONVILLE (1830 - 1918).  Together they had four children (Desire Leurquin Family History).  The third child of this union was Dieu Donni LEURQUIN (1865 - 1935) who married Victoria MARTIN (1871 - 1936).  Dieu Donni and Victoria raised ten children (Dieu Donni Leurquin Family History).  The second of these children was Mary Louise LEURQUIN (1894 - 1967) who first married Joseph Henry MASSEY Boncher and had three sons.  After his death Mary met and married Theophile Antoine Joseph BALZA (1878 - 1941) and had three sons (Theophile Joseph Balza Family History).  the thrid of these sons was Firman Joseph BALZA described above.

LARSCHEID Ancestry 

The LARSCHIED surname originates from Koblenz, Germany. The earliset known Larscheid is Peter Joseph LARSCHEID (1800-1875) wife unknown who had at least one son Lorenz LARSCHEID (1848-1916) who married Margaret SEIBEL (1851- 1906). Lorenz and Margaret had six children. Their fourth child was Joseph Peter LARSCHIED(1887-1951) who married Bertha Mary GILLE (1888-1976).  Joseph Peter and Bertha had four children the youngest was Nathalie Mildred LARSCHEID who is described above.

GILLE Ancestry

The origin of the GILLE surname is not known at this time.  The earliest known GILLE is Nicholas GILLE (1838-1932) who married Josephine DART (1847-1928).  Nicholas and Josephine had at least one son Desire GILLE (1869-1959) who married Natale GERMIAT (1866-1943).  Desire and Natalie had at least one daughter Bertha Mary GILLE (1888-1976) who married Joseph Peter LARSCHIED.  Bertha and Jospeh had four children the youngest of which Nathalie Mildred LARSCHEID is described above.


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Last updated: January 22nd, 2000
Copyright 2000, Richard M. Balza
To make corrections or obtain more informtation contact: Richard M. Balza