|
David B.
Balfour Sr.
David Bruce Balfour, Sr., 68, a longtime resident of Melrose,
who had recently moved to Amherst, NH, died Sunday, August
31, 2003 at his home in Amherst, New Hampshire.
David was born and educated in the Melrose Public School System
and after completing school became a firefighter for the South
Portland, Maine fire department later joining the Melrose Fire
Department as a firefighter and dispatcher. In 1969 he went to
work at the State House as a special assistant under Gov.
Francis W. Sargent and then became senior investigator for the
Commonwealth of Mass. Division of Insurance, Fraudulent Claims
Bureau. In 1976 he purchased the Johnston Badge Co. of Malden
which made badges for a number of area police department in the
greater Boston area along with commemorative plaques. The name
soon changed to Balfour Badge Co. and he operated this company
until his retirement to New Hampshire in 1993. It wasn't long
before he needed something more to do and he stared the American
T Shirt Co. of Milford, NH making silk screen and embroider
shirts, jackets and other items which he and his wife Beverly
still operate. Through out the years he has taken continuing
educational classes at Northeastern University, North Shore
Community College and Haverhill Trade School.
David's organizational skills were well known through out
Massachusetts and New Hampshire and for his tremendous
charitable endeavors. In the 1980's he was instrumental in the
high success of the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Torch Run
which raised thousands of dollars to benefit the Massachusetts
Special Olympics.
In 1992 during the Tall Ship's visit to the City of Boston he
was instrumental in organizing off duty police officers and
firefighters to proved transportation for all the Ship's
Captains, senior crew and a multitude of dignitaries who came to
Boston for the week long event.
David's most current endeavors have gone toward raising funds
for the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation which
will soon be dedicated at the State House to honor all
Massachusetts Law Enforcement Officers killed in the line of
duty. He has raised thousands of dollars through black tie
affairs held at the state house and through annual cruises held
in Boston Harbor attended by hundreds of people from
Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In fact the cruise held lin
July was held in his honor and raised well over twenty thousand
dollars for the memorial. He recently traveled to Canada to
inspect the manufacturing of the granite for the memorial.
David was also a proud and staunch Republican working for a
number of republican candidate for public office and attending
several National Republican Conventions. He worked hard for
President Ronald Regan, President George H. W. Bush and
President George W. Bush's campaigns and attending and working
at each of their inaugurals.
He was a member of Fidelity Lodge AF & AM of Melrose, Alleppo
Temple Shrine of Wilmington where he served on the Provost
Guard, Melrose Elks #1031 and Amvets Post # 21 of Melrose,
American Society for Industrial Security of Boston, New
Hampshire Chief of Police Assoc., International Chiefs of Police
Association, Past President of the Lynnfield Chapter # ??? of
the Blue Knights, Former President and founder of the Middlesex
County Deputy Sheriff's Motor Cycle Drill Team, which preformed
in many Middlesex County Community Parades and in the St.
Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland and several other
communities in Ireland in 198o's. He also served in the U.S.
Army and U.S. Air Force Reserves. Recently, he was honored
by the Italian American Assoc. of Massachusetts as their Man of
The Years for his many civic endeavors. |
