Donnie Alf Balenger Sr., age 62, of Cornelia, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 10, 1958, he was a son of the late William “Bill” Balenger & Mary Belle Garner Balenger. Donnie was raised in Lilburn, GA. He graduated from Berkmar High School, where he met and fell in love with Jill. Donnie worked in the family commercial glass business following high school. In 2007, he was ordained as a Baptist preacher. His greatest joy was sharing the Gospel with others and often ministered in jails & prisons locally. Donnie pastored Independent Baptist in Cornelia for nearly 10 years. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, & Pastor. Donnie will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Terry Balenger.
Survivors include his loving wife of 42 years, Jill Kirves Balenger; daughter, Autumn Balenger Poole and husband Matthew Poole; son, Donnie “Dusty” Balenger Jr. and wife Emily Irvin Balenger; brother and sister-in-law, William H. “Hut” Balenger Jr & Pam Balenger; four grandsons Hunter Balenger, Irvin Balenger, Hutchings Balenger, & Luke Poole.
Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 06, 2021, at Hillside Memorial Chapel in Clarkesville with Bro. Jack Hicks & Bro. Randall Hammonds officiating. Interment will follow in the Hillside Gardens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests all memorial donations be made to Independent Baptist Church at P.O. Box 1384 Demorest, GA 30535.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until the service hour on Saturday.
An online guest registry is available for the Balenger family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.
Arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256
