Susan Carol (Hicks) Balassi, 78, of Ballwin, MO, went home to be with the Lord on May 6, 2023, after a complication during hypertrophic cardio myectomy and bypass surgery. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri on February 18, 1945.
Susan grew up in Detroit, Michigan with her parents and younger brother John. There were lots of parental struggles with mental health issues and alcohol use. At 18 she met and married Bob Bishop, moved to Louisville, Kentucky and had their daughter, Lesa. They later moved to Kansas City to be close to her large Danish family, and their son, Brad, was born. She was a wife and mother for 12 years, which she loved – making cakes, quilting, and working with the Lutheran Women’s Guild.
She experienced many struggles in her life with losing her parents, aging family members, divorce, loneliness, and addiction. After choosing sobriety, she went to school and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, MO in three years! She went on to earn a Master of Social Work degree from Mizzou in Columbia, MO. She then obtained her Clinical License in Social Work with her career spanning over 34 years in multiple hospitals, treatment centers, churches, and private practice.
Her own recovery journey inspired her to focus her career on helping others in the same way. She first worked for ten years at Audrain Medical Center providing therapy to residents in the chemical dependency and severe mental illness units. During this time, she was radically transformed when she gave her life to Jesus and submitted to Him as her Lord and Savior. She then transitioned to counseling from a Christian perspective. She was the Director of Social Services for Valley Hope Treatment Center in Independence, Kansas, and later worked with Biblical Counseling Ministries in Columbia, Missouri, before starting her private practice in 2003.
Over the years she attended several churches and was an uber volunteer with many ministries including Pure Heart Ministries, Life Christian Center, Destiny Church, and Chesterfield Community Church. Her testimony was powerful, and she often shared the amazing work Jesus did in her life. Joyce Myers once interviewed her and televised her testimony. She led many small groups, Bible studies and was heavily involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon throughout the years.
After 26 years of being single, she fell in love with and married Gerry Balassi. Gerry’s three boys and their families welcomed Susan, and she loved the extended Balassi gatherings as well as time at the Bonne Terre Lake. They traveled and had many adventures over the last 12 years of her life – discipling, hosting, mentoring, counseling, and loving everyone they could.
Susan was passionate about family and authentically connected with others. The last several years she spent regular time in Oklahoma and Saint Louis with grandchildren on her side of the family and also the large Balassi family.
Her life focus was breaking addictions and pointing people to a life with Christ. Susan wanted to be remembered for “the power of Jesus – to go from drugs and alcohol to a Christian woman whose heart is heavy for God.”
In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughter, Lesa Westra, from Ponca City, OK and son, Bradley Bishop, from St. Louis, MO; six grandchildren Aimee (and Chris) Vaughan, Nissi (and Joel) Chiasson, Isaac (and Kristin) McClung, Shalom McClung, Zachariah Bishop, and Zoe Bishop. She was enthralled with her six great grandchildren, Keira, Kimber, Kaden, Everlee, Kai, and Nellie. She also considered the Balassi family as her own with Gerry’s three boys, Bob (and Kathleen), Dan (and Andrea), Mike (and Chris) as well as the 11 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren in the Balassi family.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Dorthea Hicks, Sidney Garfield Hicks and brother Johnny Hicks.
Services: A Celebration of Susan’s Life will take place on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 10am at The Chesterfield Community Church, 14647 Ladue Rd., Chesterfield, MO 63017
**Susan wanted it to be a party for her homegoing, so please wear bright colors and bring funny stories to share.
My sweetest memory of Susan was when she would read the bible to me..great reader..always felt the love..
Susan was always a bright light. She was so encouraging and full of love, care, and concern. She was such a dear lady and will be greatly missed. Susan gave me a devotional with a Bible verse inscribed in it. I think of her every time I read it.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3
Susan and my dad were married for several years, and I can attest to some of those hard times. She was a very special lady to me and I know my dad held a very special place in his heart for her as well. I’m sure they have reunited in heaven and are sharing stories of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
How brightly she shown. How perspective altering her character and testimony. Praying for Jerry and all those grieving. Oh God of all comfort pour such abundant grace and glory to bring your beautiful growth from this great loss.