Mary Jean (Eugenia) Lusk Balzano age 88 passed away on December 23rd while being cared for at the Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad, NM.
Mary Jean was born in Mills Canyon, New Mexico, and attended school in Roy, NM, and then Maxwell, NM where she met and married Bill Balzano. Mary had four children Dale (Carlsbad), Rick (deceased 2015), Gary (Tucumcari), and Debbie (Cimmaron) whom she encouraged and fostered through their schooling and 4-H involvement. She attended nursing school in Trinidad, Colorado while her sons were in college, she earned her LPN degree. She practiced her nursing skills in area hospitals, and the Springer Boys School, and later helped her son Rick run their drugstore in Clayton, NM. She also really enjoyed working for the Texas Correctional Facilities while in Clayton. In 2001 she moved to Roswell, NM where she worked for Tabasa Developmental and other area nursing homes.
Mary Jean was preceded in death by her mother Julia Shire Lusk, her father Benton Lusk, brothers Jim, Lewis, Frank, her sister Peggy, her husband Bill Balzano, and her son Rick Balzano.
She is survived by her sons Dale and Gary, her daughter Debbie and 7 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
Mary has been cremated as per her wishes, a graveside memorial will be held at a later date. The family wishes to thank the wonderful, kind, and loving staff at Lakeview Christian Home who cared for her when we could not.
Mary will always be remembered as a feisty independent woman who had an opinion on everything and was not afraid to share it.
