Leo Arthur Balboni

Leo Arthur Balboni, 96, of Layton, Utah passed away on Saturday, January 19, 2013, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease. At his bedside during his last moments were his loving wife of 49 years Mary, his son Mark and son's girlfriend Rachel.

The son of Italian immigrants, he was born on March 12, 1916 in Somerville, Massachusetts to Amadeo Balboni and Adelmina Balboni (Melloni). He grew up and spent most of his formative years in and around the Somerville area, and worked primarily as a truck driver and mover.

Leo received his induction papers and enlisted in the United States Army in the fall of 1941. He was a World War II combat veteran and a member of the 24th Infantry Division. He served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater; and was stationed in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines. Among the awards and decorations he received were the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge and Good Conduct Medal.

After the war, he returned to Massachusetts, and worked for over thirty years as a warehousemen in a distribution center for Sears Roebuck and Co. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and also the American Legion (a wartime veteran's service organization) for many, many years.

On March 4, 1963, Leo married Mary Esther Chapman in Detroit, Michigan. Shortly thereafter, they began a family in the Boston area and had a total of three children together.

Always an admirer of fast cars, Leo had owned many different Ford Thunderbirds in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was also an avid brook trout fisherman, and enjoyed fishing with his father-in-law during many summer vacations to rural Vermont.

Then in 1978 he retired, and the entire family relocated to Layton, Utah. There in Utah they raised their three children; Mark, Lorena and Gina. Leo and Mary Esther remained in Layton until his passing.

Leo was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and one sister.

Survivors include his wife Mary Esther, son Mark Balboni, daughter Lorena Anderson, daughter Gina Schaffers, grandson Joshua (Nicole) Anderson, granddaughter Katrina Anderson, and great-grandson Ryker Anderson.

A memorial service with military honors will be held on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 1200 noon at the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park, 17111 S. Camp Williams Rd, Bluffdale, Utah 84065 which is just north of Camp Williams.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a charitable contribution be made to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.