Succumbed to illness at Hahnemann Univer-sity Hospital on August 2, 2007. He was fifty-eight. Survived by his beloved wife, Franny Balis and devoted father to his children, Elizabeth and George Poulianas, Mary Balis and Evelyn Balis; grandchildren Nicko and Peter Poulianas; and his brothers, sisters and in-laws Haralambos Balis, Anastasia Balis, George and Angela Tas-iopoulos, Angela Balis, Vasilios Patouhas and mother-in-law Maria Pa-touhas. Pete enjoyed the support and prayers of his many relatives at home and in his native Greece.
Born June 3, 1949 in Kentriki, Greece, \’Pete\’ immigrated to South Jersey in 1963 at 13 years of age. Immediately Pete began honing his entrepreneurial skills working at notable area restaurants including the Diamond Diner, Olga\’s and the Coastline in Cherry Hill. Pete Balis helped change the face of the restaurant landscape in South Jersey with the Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford, which he co-founded with his brother John V. Balis, cousin John N. Balis and nephew Bill V. Balis guiding it to current prominence as a favorite landmark of many local celebrities, sports and political figures. His plate never full, Pete was also instrumental in bringing the Philly Diner in Runnemede to prominence and more recently led the revival of Kam-inski\’s in Cherry Hill.
Despite counting numerous celebrities and politicians as acquaint-ances who regularly dined at his restaurants, Pete never lost sight of his humble beginnings and always catered to the average family. He also never forgot his roots and in 2005 was honored for leading and funding the full restoration of St. Mary\’s Church in Ken-triki, Greece where he had been baptized decades earlier.
Pete\’s family and friends recall that Pete often joked he had a \’degree in everything.\’ Pete was eager to discuss all topics from world politics to world cup soccer and finished every discussion with his trademark line \’forgetabout-it.\’ Always ready with an outstretched hand and unguarded smile, Pete\’s friends remember him as a class act who was a \’friend for forever.\’
All are invited to pay their respects at the St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church, 615 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 on Sunday, August 5th from 7-9pm and Monday, August 6th, 11am-noon. In lieu of flowers, the Balis family requests donations be made in Pete\’s honor to St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church.
Arrangements under the direction of MUR-RAY-PARADEE FUNERAL HOME, Cher-ry Hill, NJ.

Photo(s) by Steve Skipton

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Bill\’s Point of View

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