Obituary of Marcis Balodis

February 1, 1942 - April 15, 2023 The Balodis family is sad to share the death of their patriarch, Marcis Balodis, who passed away peacefully on April 15. Marcis was born in Jelgava, Latvia and immigrated to Canada in 1949. He and his family permanently settled in Marshdale in 1950, and ran a family farm. In his early years, he attended Hopewell School, followed by Stellarton High School. He went on to attend the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, then University of Guelph (BSc Animal Sciences) and later St. Francis Xavier University (BEd). Marcis also spent 10 winters working in the Far North, and had many fond memories and stories to share of his time there. Marcis and Mara first met when she was just 16, through Latvian family connections. They married May 10, 1980, and worked together in running the family farm while raising their four children. Marcis could usually be found in the barn, teaching one or two of his children various farming or mechanical skills. Marcis was a natural storyteller and teacher. He was always ready and willing to expressively read a book or three to any child in his vicinity. His grandsons brought him great joy, and he loved teaching them Latvian language and music. Although he was a large bear of a man, he had a very gentle and patient nature. He was eternally curious and remained true to himself his entire life. Marcis was predeceased by parents Hugo and Dzintra Balodis, siblings Talivaldis and Janis, and son Peter. Marcis is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Mara, children Anna (Greg), Erik (Megan), and Emma (Jaret) and his grandsons Rowen, Emmett, Clark, Sawyer, Alexander, Eddy, and Iain. The Balodis family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the various healthcare teams who provided Marcis with excellent care throughout his illness. The compassionate care provided by the staff at the Aberdeen’s Palliative Care Unit ensured his last days were comfortable. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Peter Balodis Memorial Scholarship https://cfns-fcne.ca/peterbalodismemorialscholarship/ or Pictou County Palliative Care S