James E. Balitsos

James E. Balitsos, Sr. of Norwalk, passed away on June 29, 2015 at The Greens in Wilton, CT.  He was 88 years old.  Jim was born in Brooklyn, NY on December 14, 1926.  He was the son of Efthimious and Eleftheria Balitsos.  He is survived by his children: James and wife Marie, his son Stephen, and his daughter Diane and her husband Jeff King of Connecticut and Jeffrey and his wife Shannon of Nashville, TN.  He also leaves eight grandchildren, Brittany, Lindsay, Jaymee, Alex, Katherine, Robert, Mara and Cooper as well as many nieces and nephews. 

Jim was raised in Astoria, Queens.  He was very active in sports both as a player and manager.  He played football and amateur hockey.  A highlight of his career was scrimmaging against the New York Rangers at the old Madison Square Garden at the age of 15.  He was also part of a professional diving show at the Aqua Stadium at the old World’s Fair Grounds in Queens.  At the age of 17, he joined the Navy and served in the Seabees in the Pacific during World War II.  After his service, he began a 35 year career in the advertising industry.  During that time, he worked on many notable campaigns with many of the industry leaders.  After his retirement, he co-founded Diray TV in Wilton, CT with his son James.

Jim was an avid golfer and enjoyed travelling to many golf courses throughout the country.  He was a member of the Mill River Country Club in Stratford, CT.  In addition to various trade organizations, he was a member of the national Greek fraternal association (AHEPA).  He was a man very proud of his Greek heritage.  He was most proud of was being on the Board of Directors of  Leake & Watts Children’s Home in New York City. Jim and his brother Nick spent some of their early years there upon the death of their father.  One of Jim’s passions in his retirement was politics – both local and national.  He enjoyed enthusiastic conversations among his friends, and shared his thoughts through frequent letters to the editors of local publications.  He was a first generation American, the son of Greek immigrants and essentially self-educated. He lived the “American Dream” and was thankful for the opportunities he had and the people who helped him along the way.

Friends are invited to join his family for Funeral Services to be held at 10AM on Thursday, July 2, at the Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Avenue, Norwalk, with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery in Norwalk.  It is requested that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to Leake & Watts Children’s Home, 463 Hawthorne Avenue, Yonkers, NY  10705. 

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