Marlyce A. Balton (nee Eastman), 75

November 25, 2014

Born November 19, 1939, in Bertha, Minnesota. Marlyce went to be with the Lord and to her eternal home at 7:00 PM, November 25, 2014.
The wife of David H. Balton, she was the loving mother of six children, David C. of Ephrata, PA; Daniel W. of Toms River, NJ; twins – Debra L. Edgington of Lancaster, PA and Dean A. of Wrightsville, PA; Diana B. Sheehan of Lebanon, PA; and Darren L. of Beachwood, NJ. She was the grandmother of nine grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
She was the oldest child of Rev. and Mrs. Martin (and Arlene) Eastman, who pastored several Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in northern Minnesota. Marlyce trusted the Lord as her Savior as a child, by seven years of age, when their family was living at Dora Lake, MN. Their family was also an active part from year to year at the Oylen camp Meetings.
She graduated from Park Rapids High School, Park Rapids, MN in 1958, and then went to St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College), where she met her husband, David and in 1964 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian education. She taught school for one year in Montana, and helped with the mission work at Hays, Montana.
On May 31, 1966, she and David were married at the Hazel Park Alliance Church in St. Paul, MN. They then went to the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana and taught vacation Bible school in Hays and several other communities for the month of June. In July, they moved to Redby on the Red Lake Reservation, and served under the Northern Gospel Mission for three years.
They moved to St. Paul, MN and continued to minister to Indian people there. In the early nineteen seventies, they moved to Bemidji, MN, and later to Nebish, MN, under the Fellowship of Minnesota Conservative Baptists to continue their ministry on the Red Lake Reservation.
After all the violence on the reservation in 1983, Marlyce worked for a couple of years at the Good Samaritan Rest Home in Blackduck, MN.
In 1985, they moved to Ship Bottom, NJ, and later to Manahawkin, NJ, in South Jersey, to help with David’s mother’s care. Marlyce also worked for Medical Personnel Care, Interim Health Care, and Garden State Community Nurse Staffers in South Jersey.
After moving to the Lancaster, PA area in November 2001, Marlyce attended and became a member of Lancaster Alliance Church. She enjoyed attending Bible studies and Change of Pace, and she was also an associate member of Seed of Abraham Congregation.
During the last twenty years, and especially the last few years, she knitted and crocheted quite a few Afghans, shawls, caps, scarves, slippers and socks to give to different ones for gifts.
Since moving to Lancaster, she also worked for Links2Care for a couple of years, and later for Extended Family Care until September 2013, when she retired, due to back pain, feeling that she could no longer do the lifting.
The next day, she was admitted to Lancaster General Hospital, and during her nine day stay, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. During the past year, there has been a lot of prayer, and she showed amazing healing and improvement in regard to the multiple myeloma, her general condition, and strength. Thank you to all those who have remembered her in prayer during this time.
On Wednesday, November 19th, the family celebrated her 75th birthday together with her. However, on the morning of November 25, she was seated on the sofa in the living room, and stated that her head, back and stomach were hurting. Soon after, it seemed as if she was sound asleep. Being unresponsive and unable to wake her, she was transported to the hospital. The doctors said she had a right lateral cerebral hemorrhage that was inoperable. They said she was without pain and the best they could do would be to make her comfortable. By 7:00 PM, with her family present and by her side, she went home to be with the Lord.
A viewing will be from 2-3 PM with a Funeral Service to follow on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 at the Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601. Interment will take place at 10 AM on Monday, December 1, 2014 at Conestoga Memorial Park. Contributions may be made to the church entitled: Great Commissions Fund.