Richard C. Baluha, a life-long resident of Norwalk, CT, was born on April 23, 1940 and died at home surrounded by his family on April 2, 2016. Rich was known among family and friends as the “world’s greatest fixer” with his innate ability for diagnosing and repairing anything mechanical.
Rich graduated from Bullard Havens Technical School with a certificate in architectural drafting. He founded National Automatic Transmissions in 1963, which he operated for 25 years, expanding it into marine transmissions. He was a former member of the Norwalk Exchange Club and their Coast Guard Auxiliary. Naturally inquisitive, he had a passion for history and always had something to contribute on many subjects from politics to aeronautics. His happiest days were spent boating and helping others.
Rich was the son of the late Cyril F. and Mary Bepko Baluha, and is survived by his beloved wife, Judy; two sons, Richard S. Baluha of Greenwich, CT, and Roderick A. Baluha of Rimrock, AZ; a sister, Marilyn Lincoln of Bridgeport; a brother, Robert Baluha and his wife Susan of Shelton; four nieces, Sherri McPartland, Sheila Papps, Suzanne Boyce and Terriann Baluha; and three nephews, Gary Baluha, Daniel Baluha and Gregg Baluha.
Friends may call on Friday, April 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, April 9 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church, 23 Half Mile Road (entrance on East Rocks Road), Norwalk. Interment will follow at Fairfield Memorial Park Cemetery, 230 Oaklawn Ave., Stamford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Rich’s memory may be made to Fight Blindness, http://www.blindness.org or the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, http://www.npcf.us/.