Lt Co Peter Balzli, AIR FORCE, (Ret)

Peter John Balzli, 78, of Adams, Tennessee, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 20, 2026. He was born on April 20, 1948, to Herman and Clara Balzli and grew up in California. His father was a pastry chef, and he carried a love of good food with him all his life.

Peter proudly dedicated 20 years of his life serving his country in the United States Air Force. He began his military flying career as a fighter pilot before going on to fly the U-2 spy plane, which took remarkable skill to fly at the edge of space. He even survived ejecting from a fighter plane, but the experience never shook his bravery or his love of flying. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and went on to do what he loved, flying as an airline pilot.

Flying was one of Peter’s greatest passions. It brought Pete tremendous pride to see his son, Brian, follow in his footsteps and become an airline pilot. He also loved that his daughter, Bridjette, shared his passion for solar energy, and they opened a solar business.

Peter was a builder at heart who could fix just about anything, and he was remarkably talented at so many things. So much of what he had he built with his own hands, from his chicken coop to a lookout tower and a huge metal building. He enjoyed tending to his garden and caring for his chickens, who were always happy to see him coming. He never went long without a project, and his family learned that “taking it easy” simply wasn’t in his vocabulary. He worked hard throughout his life to provide for his family.

Above all, Peter treasured his family. A handsome young pilot, he swept Lynda off her feet, taking her flying on one of their very first dates, and the two built a life together. His children and grandchildren meant the world to him, and he made sure they always knew how much he loved them. He never let anyone leave without one of his big hugs. To his grandchildren, he was simply “Peka,” a name his first grandchild, Jordan, gave him years ago, and it stuck for good.

Peter is survived by his wife, Lynda Balzli; his children, Brian Balzli (Stella), Bridjette Lambert (Ashley), and Melissa Gieseking; his grandchildren, Michael, Marissa, Ella, Zander, Hayle, Orion, Jordan, Dylan, Mariah, and Nora; and his brothers, Ralph Balzli and Roland Balzli. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Clara Balzli.

Though Peter has taken his final flight, his love, his laughter, his hugs, and everything he built will remain with us always. His legacy will live on in the family he loved, the lives he touched, and the many things he left behind for others to carry forward. His youngest granddaughter, Nora, was talking about how much she would miss her Peka. Then she said, “Mommy, don’t worry—God will take care of him now.”

A celebration of life will be held at Peter’s home on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 1 pm in Adams, Tennessee, where family and friends are welcome to share stories and memories of Peter. Please contact the family for details.

Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the EAA Young Eagles program (eaa.org/give), which supports youth in Aviation.