Obituary of Bala Balanaser

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Balanaser s/o Sittampalam Balasingham, beloved  husband, father, son and brother. He passed away peacefully at sunrise on Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 in Ottawa, at age 70, surrounded by loved ones.

Bala was born on April 18th, 1954 in Singapore, to Balasingham and Gnanambighai in a traditional, loving Tamil home. He is deeply missed by his devoted siblings, Balakrishner, Balachandrer, and Grace. His family shared an exceptionally close and affectionate bond with each other, no matter where in the world they were. Bala first arrived in Canada in 1979, where he met his beloved wife, Paule, while studying computer science together at Brock University.  They were married on December 9th, 1984 in Singapore, where they lived for a year after their marriage, and together they built a beautiful life and cherished family. He is survived by their children, Joshua and his partner Janet, Morgan, Marielle, and son-in-law MacNeal, who feel the loss of their treasured father most keenly. “Papa” was a constant source of strength; loyal, steadfast, kind, and gentle, he was a shining light in the world, that warmed as well as illuminated.

An avid golfer and field hockey player, Bala also loved watching sports of all kinds, and was always happy to share a drink and good meal with friends. His network of close friends across the globe bears witness to the wonderful man he was, a quiet soul who thought deeply, loved fiercely, and could always be relied upon in times of need. Bala was dedicated, hard-working and successful in his professional life, working as a narcotics officer with the Singapore Central Narcotics Bureau, before moving to Canada and completing his degree in computer science with first class honours. Over the years, Bala worked for the Toronto Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and finally the Department of National Defence up until just over a year before his untimely passing. Bala believed deeply in diversity, freedom, and the inherent humanity in all of us, and was never afraid to stand up for what was right. A favourite song of his was “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, a ballad epitomizing the bravery and stoicism with which he lived his life and carried out his convictions, strong and unafraid.

Family and friends are invited to a Hindu funeral service on Sunday, February 16th, 2025 at Cole Funeral Services & Pinecrest Remembrance at 2500 Baseline Road in Ottawa. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am, followed by a Hindu ceremony commencing at 11:00 am. At 12:00 pm, the immediate family will proceed to the crematorium. For Hindu ceremonies, it is customary for guests to wear white rather than black, but there is no obligation to do so. An informal get together with light refreshments will be held at the Balanaser family home following the event.  Bala had many friends and loved ones from near and far. For those unable  to  attend, there will be a live stream of the ceremony (see link below).

LINK to live stream.

We will also be holding a memorial to celebrate Bala’s life in late March, to give us the opportunity to share memories of the wonderful guy Bala was. More details regarding Bala’s memorial will be shared in the  coming weeks.

Bala was a precious soul whose loss has left a hole in all our hearts. He will be deeply missed,

never forgotten, and forever loved.