Palma Rosa Balzano, 91, of Elkhart, was called home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at her residence. She was born in San Giovanni Di Gerace, Italy in the Region of Calabria on March 25, 1934, to the late Salvatore and Maria (Muratore) Iemma.

Palma is also preceded in death by her husband, Giuseppe Balzano; children, Rocco Balzano, Angela "Angie" J. (Michael) Michel, and Rose Mary Nisley; siblings, Dominic (Lillian), Antonio (Ida), Giovanna Mesiti, Celestina Letteri, Angela Iemma, and Elena Iemma, deceased at 5. She is survived by her children, Antonio "Tony" J. (Tracy) Balzano, John Balzano, and Teresa A. (Gregory) Kelly; 7 grandchildren, Danny Nisley, Gina (Joseph) Brewers, Andrea (Grant) Hardisty, Joseph Balzano, Justin Kelly, Anthony Balzano, Nate Kelly; a great grandson, Dominic Nisley; and brother, Carmelo (Melina) Iemma of Australia.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, from 5-8 p.m. with a rosary to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St. in Elkhart, IN. A Mass of a Christian burial officiated by Father Craig Borchard will take place on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. with an hour of visitation prior at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, 1108 S Main St, Elkhart, IN 46516. Palma will be laid to rest immediately following the Mass at St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Elkhart, IN.

The family requests that any monetary donations be given to her family directly so they can make donations to Palma's favorite charity's and to the church she loved. Although, floral arrangements are very much welcome as Palma absolutely adored flowers and planted many of them in her garden.

Palma was the youngest of 8 children and lived in the Region of Calabria in Italy. She married Giuseppe Balzano, who was from Gioiosa Ionica in Italy, on November 11, 1951, in Locri, Italy in the Region of Calabria. In 1954 she came to the United States and settled in to raise her family in Elkhart, IN. She became the second mother to many of the neighborhood kids on Frances Street, where she lived at the time. She and her family were devote members of St. Vincent's Catholic Church for many years and her children went to school there as well.

Palma was an incredible cook, and she made the best authentic Italian dishes, anything from pasta and meatballs to her famous pizza. Cooking was her love language and having her family around her, helping her prepare meals, was a big part of what made her special to all those she loved. Palma always put others needs before her own and was the most caring and thoughtful person you could ever meet. Palma will be dearly and sorely missed by her loving family who surrounded her with the same love she showed them.