Shirley (Knott Shaffer) Balascak

Shirley Balascak, age 90, of Milford, CT,  loving wife of the late Michael Balascak and loving mother to Karen Balascak, Mark Balascak and his wife Kathleen Brandon, was called home to the Lord on April 20, 2024. She was predeceased by her sister Barbara Fedele and is survived by step grandsons Adam and Jonathan Brandon, nephew Thomas Galatie and faithful life-long friends Noreen Baxter and Shirley McCormick.

Born in Bridgeport, CT to the late Marion Knott and Joseph Shaffer, Shirley was a 1952 graduate of Stratford High School where she met the love of her life Michael, whom she married in 1955. She worked for the U.S. Navy office on the Nautilus submarine program while Michael served in the Navy, retiring upon his discharge to become the best mother anyone could ask for.

Shirley was a member of St. John the Baptist Byzantine church in Trumbull since marriage, a member and former president of the Mothers & Daughters Auxiliary, a church trustee and a volunteer for the Red Cross blood bank.

She was the epitome of kindness, compassion, support, charity and love of others; caring for elderly neighbors, children and everyone who needed a hand or word; always putting others needs before her own and making lifelong sacrifices, especially for her beloved family. Shirley was well known for her generosity and treasured acts of kindness: faithfully tracking everyone’s birthdays and life events; writing inspiring and heartfelt notes and letters of friendship, sympathy, encouragement – whatever was needed - tucking small monetary gifts into children's cards, supporting friends and even strangers, donating to charities and food to the St. Gabriel Food Pantry.  Shirley lived the Lord’s Golden Rule (Luke 6:31) and made everyone who knew her feel loved and special.

She gave from her heart until there was nothing left to give.

Greeting everyone with kind words and a smile, making frequent telephone calls, or simply listening to others' life situations, Shirley made everyone she touched a happier, better person. She did simple things extraordinarily well. Shirley was a voracious reader and enjoyed sharing books with friends and the Little Free Libraries around town. In her later years Shirley enjoyed feeding her birds and squirrels and took pleasure in their daily antics.

She knew she was blessed and appreciated all of God’s grace and will be missed by all of those who knew her. Our earthly loss is heaven's gain.

Donations in Shirley's name can be made to St. John the Baptist Byzantine Church 100 St. Johns Drive Trumbull, CT 06611 or the Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter 200 Executive Blvd S #4b, Southington, CT 06489

Friends and family may call on Wednesday, April 24th from 9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. in THE GREGORY F. DOYLE FUNERAL HOME, 291 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Church, 100 St. Johns Drive, Trumbull. Interment will follow in Union Cemetery, Stratford.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Shirley (Knott Shaffer) Balascak, please visit our floral store.