Daniel Richard Balabon

Daniel Richard Balabon, 93 a resident of Cape Coral, formerly of Waterloo Iowa, passed away peacefully and joined his wife Janis on Monday, January 24 2023. He was born March 22, 1929 in Medina, North Dakota to Sam and Mary Balabon.

The Balabon family moved to Waterloo Iowa, in the 30s. Dan had two younger siblings Dorothy and Nick. Dan went to East High School in Waterloo where he played baseball and sang " Take me out to the ballgame" at the high school swing show. He was a handsome man, his teacher told him he should go to Hollywood and be an actor. During high school years he worked at Black's Tea Room and worked for a fur coat retail shop. He attended Iowa State Teachers College, (now UNI) where he received a bachelor’s degree in business. In 1950 he enlisted in the Army and was a Counter Intelligence Corp’s investigator where he was stationed in Houston Texas. In 1958 he married the love of his life, Janis Mathias. They had two sons Keith and Sam, born in 1961 and 1963. 

He was a building contractor, Dan Balabon Construction, where he built many houses in Waterloo and Evansdale, Iowa. He invested in a car dealership in Knoxville Iowa with Janis’s oldest brother which provided new demonstrator cars to drive for many years. He also bought Janis’s parents a house to live in. 

He was a great poker player who spent a lot of time playing at the Elks Club in Waterloo.  He once said he made an extra $10,000 a year playing cards. He and his wife took yearly trips to Las Vegas, He loved Frank Sinatra, and the Rat Pack. In the mid-1960s.  

He found a cabin for sale on the Mississippi, near Harpers Ferry Iowa which he bought with his sister’s family and was shared for several years. In 1975 they split the property, and Dan built a beautiful new cabin on the river where many family memories were made. There he enjoyed fishing and hiking with Janis.

In the early 80s, he invested in land contracts that secured rights to a build wind farm in Palm Springs, California. It was very successful which earned him nearly $1M dollars.  

In 1985, he moved to Cape Coral and bought a beautiful waterfront home where he enjoyed the sun, water and fishing while Janis painted. 

He donated a house to the University of Northern Iowa that still has an annual $500 scholarship in his name from the rents from the donated house.   

He helped promote Janis’s art career and never left her side. He loved his wife Janis dearly. He enjoyed cooking and spending time with his family and friends.

He was an honorable, generous man that always had a positive and uplifting spirit.  He always had good advice and was smart as a whip. He was there to help his sons and family whenever they needed it. He was an awesome fisherman and spent time telling stories with his grandchildren and loved fishing with his great grandsons. He lived a wonderful life. He will be missed dearly by his family.

He is survived by two loving sons, Keith Balabon and Sam Balabon, both of TX; grandchildren, Fara Cummings, David Balabon, and Evan Balabon; as well as three great grandchildren, PJ Cummings, Jr., Finley Cummings, and Levi Cummings.

Daniel joined his beloved wife, Janis Balabon in heaven, two days after she passed on January 22, 2023. They are reunited forever again. 

Committal Services will be held for Daniel and Janis Balabon at a later date. Details will be announced via www.MullinsMemorial.com

Ceremony of life details will be sent soon.

Friends are invited to send condolences via the on-line guest book which can be found at www.MullinsMemorial.com.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.