Michael William Ballas of Irma died on May 14, 2015. He was born on September 18, 1955 in Madison.
Mike graduated from Menasha High School and the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
He proudly served in the United States Army for three years and the Army Reserves for 20 years. While on active duty in the US Army, Mike was promoted to the rank of Specialist 5 and served as a technical control specialist assigned to Detachment II, 7th Signal Brigade in Heilbronn, Germany. There his favorite pass time was Volksmarching (assorted 5k trails in the beautiful countryside where groups of hiking enthusiasts gathered and enjoyed the sport, gathering token pins for each event).

He later served in the US Army Reserves as an interior electrician. He deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His last unit of assignment in the US Army Reserves was with Company A, 224th Engineer Battalion. He returned home to Oak Creek Wisconsin and continued to work for Quad/Graphics Inc. He retired to his dream home cottage in Irma where he passed due to natural causes.

Mike loved everything outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He had a passion to capture everything with his camera as well. He will always be remembered as a loving and hard-working father by his three children, Chelsea, Brooke and Brett.
He is the grandson of the late Ben and Mary Jankowski and is survived by three children, wife, step-children, two sisters, and a brother in Washington.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 6 at 2 p.m. at the Bradley Funeral Home with Reverend Jeremiah Worman officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Antigo veterans will conduct military honors at the funeral home following the service.