Obituary of Mary Kreisz

Mary (Mitzi) Teresa Kreisz

December 29, 1927 - January 29, 2024

Our beloved mother and Oma passed away at the Ajax-Pickering Hospital after a fall and short illness. She was 96.  

Mary was born in Rechnitz, Austria to Hans and Teresa Kuch. She was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Johanna (Hans); and her husbands, John (who passed in 1988) and Ferdinand (Fred) Balling (who passed in 1998). Mary is survived by her three children John (Janice), Frank (Cheryl), and Mary (Michael), and her grandchildren, Jennifer and Ian, Michael (Gaby) and Carly (Chris), and Christopher and Emily (John Paul), and her great-grandchildren, Brooklyn and Chelsea. Mary is also survived by her stepchildren,  Barbara, Monika (Bill), Hilda (Rod), Frank and Stephen Balling—and their children and grandchildren; and she was predeceased by her stepchildren, Max and Bernie.   

Mary had a great sense of humour and frequently reminded her family that when she was born, she was so underweight the midwife told her mother that she was unlikely to live long.  Mary’s long life—in good health—proved the midwife wrong. 

Mary had the good fortune to leave Rechnitz on the last train to Vienna as the Red Army approached their village in 1945, travelling to western Germany where she waited out the war with her sister.  Mary met her husband, John (from Hungary), in Rechnitz after the war when he was visiting his sister Steffi and her husband, who happened to be the neighbours of Mary's parents. Mary and John immigrated to Canada, fleeing a war-ravaged Europe, hoping to one day return to Hungary.  They married in Toronto in 1952—and they built a home together in south Oshawa, where they welcomed their three children. Mary worked tirelessly to provide for her family, first at home—and then outside it, as a Registered Nursing Assistant at the (then) Oshawa General Hospital.  Mary and Fred married in 1991 after meeting at a German Club picnic. They set-up a home together in Sun Valley, overlooking bucolic Lake Scugog, where they lived happily until Fred passed away in 1998.

Mary was a devout Roman Catholic, working and supporting the Catholic Women's League at all the parishes she attended.  Her faith was unwavering and one of her favourite expressions was "it's all in God's hands".  

Mary was tremendously loving; and she was full of affection for her family and friends. Her cooking was legendary—and she kept her family full with her goulash, chicken paprikash, stuffed peppers, schnitzel, and plum dumplings. Knowing her family was well-fed brought her immense joy. Mary was a superlative knitter, always outfitting her family and friends with fresh knit slippers, hats, and mittens—and making sure they had fruit and vegetables from her garden and a constant supply of chocolate.  She was kind, generous and always positive in mind and spirit. This matriarch will be missed by her family and all those who were most fortunate to know her.   

Mary’s family thanks the staff of Marion Place and Lakeridge Health for the care and attention she received in her final days. In lieu of flowers, donations to Saint Mary of the People's Church (570 Marion Ave, Oshawa, Ontario L1J 3B9) are appreciated.

Visitation will be held at the DeStefano Funeral Home 1289 Keith Ross Drive in Oshawa on Friday February 2^nd from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday February 3^rd at St. Mary of The People Parish in Oshawa at 10:30am.  Interment will follow at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Whitby.