1949
George
2025
George H. Balsley
July 11, 1949 — March 17, 2025
George H. Balsley II, 75, of Hadley, MA passed away peacefully on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2025 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital with his wife and two sons close at his side.
George was born on July 11, 1949 in Bethesda, Maryand to Frank and Ruth Balsley and was an older brother to Mary Balsley. It was not until he was two years old that his parents realized he was deaf. At the age of four, he attended Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, MA as a boarder and remained there through to graduation in 1965, making many life-long friends.
He attended Amherst Regional High School in Amherst, MA where he lettered in soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, and skiing. After his graduation in 1969, George enrolled at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY because “it was close to great skiing”. While at Hartwick, he played Junior Varsity soccer and was part of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. He majored in American History, graduating in 1973.
From 1969 to 1974, George was a member of the Deaf Ski Team and participated in the Deaflympics at Adelboden, Switzerland. He came in 17th overall for the cumulation of three events he participated in. He thought “that wasn’t bad”. He also skied in the World Alpine Ski Championship at Les Arcs, France and finished 8th in the slalom event. Rivaling his love for skiing was his love for sailing. George was a foredeck captain in amateur sailing races aboard “Wild Swan” and “Marbella” in ocean races. He was a member of Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown, RI for many years.
George worked briefly as a painter and landscaper in Cape Cod. After many days of being sun-kissed and ocean-blessed, George decided to become an architect. He moved to Boston, MA in 1974 and took night classes at Boston Architectural College while working in different architects’ offices. In 1977, he met Laura Novitt and fell in love. After a grand hiking adventure in the Canadian Rockies with friends, he proposed to her in Calgary, Canada. They married in October of 1979 in Longmeadow, MA.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1983 and became a Registered Architect in 1987 after passing the 3 ½ day state examinations. George worked in the field of architecture for over 40 years in all types of building design, core and shell design, production and technical specifications. His diversified background included residential, educational, commercial and healthcare architecture. Using his lifelong experience with deafness, he created a new specialty called “Designing for the Deaf” and worked to incorporate it into the field of universal design. It is a movement that calls for all inclusive design practices. He was a consultant in Deaf design for several Deaf Institutions, such as the Sorenson Language and Communication Center at Gallaudet University, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, Delaware School for the Deaf, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and Rhode Island School for the Deaf.
In 1984, he became a father when Nathaniel Balsley was born and moved to his “forever home” in Hadley. In 1986, his second son Alexander Balsley was born. He was an avid “ski-dad” and loved taking his family out on outdoor excursions in New England during all seasons. George took any and every opportunity to regale them with his inexhaustible supply of stories about his family history, local history, and all the American wars.
George was involved in area organizations listed below:
* Willie Ross School for the Deaf (formerly Chairman of the Board of Trustees)
* Western Massachusetts Association of the Deaf
* Clarke School for the Deaf
* Clarke School Alumni Association (President Emeritus 1983-1993)
* Austine School for the Deaf
* D.E.A.F. Inc.
* Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
* American Institute of Architects (Western Massachusetts Chapter)
* Boston Society of Architects
* Institute of Human Centered Design
George will be dearly missed by his loving wife of 45 years, Laura Balsley, his two sons: Nathaniel Balsley (Allison) of Frederick, MD and Alexander Balsley (Dru) of Providence, RI. He is survived by three grandchildren, Kamden Balsley, Baxley Balsley, and Ryland Balsley of Frederick, MD and his sister, Mary Balsley of Revere, MA.
The family will hold a Celebration of Life for George on his birthday, July 11, 2025 at Baystate University, 588 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA Donations in George’s memory may be made to the Willie Ross School for the Deaf, 32 Norway Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106.
A life well-lived, between the slopes and the sea!
George was born on July 11, 1949 in Bethesda, Maryand to Frank and Ruth Balsley and was an older brother to Mary Balsley. It was not until he was two years old that his parents realized he was deaf. At the age of four, he attended Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, MA as a boarder and remained there through to graduation in 1965, making many life-long friends.
He attended Amherst Regional High School in Amherst, MA where he lettered in soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, and skiing. After his graduation in 1969, George enrolled at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY because “it was close to great skiing”. While at Hartwick, he played Junior Varsity soccer and was part of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. He majored in American History, graduating in 1973.
From 1969 to 1974, George was a member of the Deaf Ski Team and participated in the Deaflympics at Adelboden, Switzerland. He came in 17th overall for the cumulation of three events he participated in. He thought “that wasn’t bad”. He also skied in the World Alpine Ski Championship at Les Arcs, France and finished 8th in the slalom event. Rivaling his love for skiing was his love for sailing. George was a foredeck captain in amateur sailing races aboard “Wild Swan” and “Marbella” in ocean races. He was a member of Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown, RI for many years.
George worked briefly as a painter and landscaper in Cape Cod. After many days of being sun-kissed and ocean-blessed, George decided to become an architect. He moved to Boston, MA in 1974 and took night classes at Boston Architectural College while working in different architects’ offices. In 1977, he met Laura Novitt and fell in love. After a grand hiking adventure in the Canadian Rockies with friends, he proposed to her in Calgary, Canada. They married in October of 1979 in Longmeadow, MA.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1983 and became a Registered Architect in 1987 after passing the 3 ½ day state examinations. George worked in the field of architecture for over 40 years in all types of building design, core and shell design, production and technical specifications. His diversified background included residential, educational, commercial and healthcare architecture. Using his lifelong experience with deafness, he created a new specialty called “Designing for the Deaf” and worked to incorporate it into the field of universal design. It is a movement that calls for all inclusive design practices. He was a consultant in Deaf design for several Deaf Institutions, such as the Sorenson Language and Communication Center at Gallaudet University, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, Delaware School for the Deaf, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and Rhode Island School for the Deaf.
In 1984, he became a father when Nathaniel Balsley was born and moved to his “forever home” in Hadley. In 1986, his second son Alexander Balsley was born. He was an avid “ski-dad” and loved taking his family out on outdoor excursions in New England during all seasons. George took any and every opportunity to regale them with his inexhaustible supply of stories about his family history, local history, and all the American wars.
George was involved in area organizations listed below:
* Willie Ross School for the Deaf (formerly Chairman of the Board of Trustees)
* Western Massachusetts Association of the Deaf
* Clarke School for the Deaf
* Clarke School Alumni Association (President Emeritus 1983-1993)
* Austine School for the Deaf
* D.E.A.F. Inc.
* Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
* American Institute of Architects (Western Massachusetts Chapter)
* Boston Society of Architects
* Institute of Human Centered Design
George will be dearly missed by his loving wife of 45 years, Laura Balsley, his two sons: Nathaniel Balsley (Allison) of Frederick, MD and Alexander Balsley (Dru) of Providence, RI. He is survived by three grandchildren, Kamden Balsley, Baxley Balsley, and Ryland Balsley of Frederick, MD and his sister, Mary Balsley of Revere, MA.
The family will hold a Celebration of Life for George on his birthday, July 11, 2025 at Baystate University, 588 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA Donations in George’s memory may be made to the Willie Ross School for the Deaf, 32 Norway Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106.
A life well-lived, between the slopes and the sea!
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