Ignacio Antonio Balli Jr.

Ignacio was called home to his Lord and Savior on March 12, 2025. Loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he was a stalwart, a man of principle, dedication, and family values. He was proud of his Balli heritage, a family with a prestigious history since the days of Spanish colonialism and land grants from the Spanish Crown.

“Nacho” was born in McAllen, Texas and raised in a humble family of nine who all worked diligently to improve their lives through hard work and education. After graduating high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served one tour of battle in the Korean War. After discharge from the Army in 1952, he began a career in federal civil service with assignments in Corpus Christi, Texas and San Francisco/Oakland, California. His final position with the government was as an EEOC Investigator in San Antonio, Texas and he retired with 30 years of service.

Being a dedicated family man, he enjoyed playing board games, billiards, horseshoes, and especially playing violin and guitar. He loved family events that included music and singing, picnics and cookouts, and the occasional boating or RV camping trip. Always pursuing knowledge, he excelled at math and constantly challenged himself with algebra problems well into advanced age. A voracious reader, he loved to sit on the patio with a cup of coffee or bottle of beer, a fine cigar, and fruit for snacks, and read his newspaper front to back. Interests ran from JFK to Cesar Chavez, The Supreme Court to LULAC and he was quick to unashamedly offer his opinion on any of them. Though he was stern at times and financially conservative, he was always ready to help anyone in whom he saw promise. There are many individuals alive today, whose long term success is rooted in his judgement and generosity and his willingness to give them a hand up as opposed to a handout.

Ignacio is survived by his wife of forty years, Mary Aurora Balli, whom he considered “the love of his life.”

Additional survivors include: Daughters Anna Jean Martinez and Debra Gail Balli, son Don Davis Balli, Step daughters Nelda Coronado and Patricia Coronado, Step son Louis Coronado, sister Estefana Mendiola, brother Adolpho Balli, Eleven grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.

Ignacio was preceded in death by his parents Ignacio and Estefana Balli, his son Dr. Edward Allen Balli, brothers Alfredo, Juan Jose, Francisco, and Javier, sisters Aurora, Herminia, and Maria Alicia. Deepest gratitude to all of the Klarus Homecare/Hospice Team and all his Caregivers that loved him

Memorial and interment at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery will be held on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.

His was a life lived well. God loves him, and so do we.