Honorable John P. Balio, 85, of New Hartford, retired Associate Justice for the Appellate Division for the Fourth Department of the State of New York, entered into eternal life on Saturday, January 30, 2010, in Naples, Florida, with his loving family at his bedside. Born on March 17, 1924, he was the son of Anthony and Josephine Dambro Balio, and was educated in Utica schools. On July 24, 1948, Justice Balio married Anne Comito, a blessed union of 61 years. Justice Balio's career was certainly one to be proud of. He was appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division by Governor Cuomo on March 19, 1986. He was reappointed by Governor Cuomo to serve as an Associate Justice of the Court on December 24, 1992, and December 28, 1993. On January 1, 1995, December 30, 1996, and December 30, 1998, Governor Pataki redesignated Judge Balio as an additional Justice of the Supreme Court for the Fourth Department. His term ended on December 31, 2000. Justice Balio attended Springfield College and was a 1946 graduate of Union College. He received his L.L.B. Degree from Albany Law School of Union University in 1948. He was admitted to practice in the New York and Federal Courts in 1949 and, as a Sole Practitioner, maintained an office for the General Practice of Law from 1949 to 1973. Justice Balio also served as an Assistant County Attorney for Oneida County (1956-1960) and as Oneida County Attorney (1960-1962). He was a member of the Oneida County, New York State and Central New York's Women's Bar Associations, New York State and Oneida County Magistrate's Associations, American Trial Lawyer's Association and American Justinian Society of Jurists. He served as a fellow of the New York Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. He was also a member of the State Bar Association's Judicial Section, was a director of the Respect for Law Alliance, Inc., chaired the Indigent Criminal Appeals Management Council for the Fifth Judicial District and was the court's representative on the Advisory Committee on Attorney Admissions. Justice Balio was the recipient of Certificates of Appreciation from the John E. Creedon Police Benevolent Association of Utica in 1969 and the Comity Club of Utica in 1979. In 1983, he was named Honorary Erie Canaller by the Rome Chamber of Commerce. He received the Distinguished Jurist Award from the Family Law Section of the New York State Bar Association in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Award presented by the Consul General of Italy on behalf of the Italian Government in May 1996. Justice Balio began his judicial career as a Town Justice for the Town of New Hartford, serving in that position from 1970 to 1973. He then served as Oneida Family Court Judge from 1973 to 1979 and was elected to serve a fourteen year term as Supreme Court Justice in the Fifth Judicial District commencing in 1980 and re-elected on November 2, 1993, to Supreme Court, for a term beginning on January 1, 1994. He was certified by the Office of Court Administration to serve three additional two year terms commencing January 1, 1995, 1997 and 1999. Justice Balio is survived by his beloved wife, Anne; two daughters and a son-in-law, Joan Uhlig, New Hartford, and Karen and Michael Clement, Burnt Hills, New York; two sons and daughters-in-law, Anthony and Cindy Balio, Chicago, and John R. and Shawn Balio, New Hartford; seven grandchildren, Jennifer and Michael Chambrone, Jonathan Clement, Thomas Clement, Kimberly Balio, Casey Balio, Michael Balio and Morgan Balio; a stepsister-in-law, Raffaela Saraceno, Utica; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Anthony Balio; a brother, Cosmo Balio; his parents; and stepmother, Sarah Saraceno. Justice Balio's funeral will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2010, at 8:45 a.m. from the Bentz & Amodio Funeral Service, Inc., 470 French Road, Utica/New Hartford, and at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary of Mount Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church, where his Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Private interment will take place in Calvary Cemetery. Calling hours for family and friends will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.