Annette T. Balian, Cherished Mother and Dedicated Volunteer, Passes Away

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Annette T. Balian, a treasured mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, dear friend and devoted community volunteer.  She passed away peacefully in Naples, Florida, surrounded by her loving family, following a sudden illness.

Annette led an extraordinary life, centered on family, the arts and community. This year would have marked her 68th year of marriage to the love of her life, the late John V. Balian MD. Together they had a loving family.  She was adored by her six children: Leslie Balian (Eric Bush), Lisa Balian (Dr. Thomas Gilbert), Laurie Balian (Frank Aiello), Michael Balian (Jacqueline Wright), Dr. Gary Balian, and Christina (“Tina”) Mehren (Lawrence Mehren), 25 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Annette was predeceased by her loving husband John V. Balian MD, cherished grandson Hovhannes Bush, and dear brother, Michael Chobanian MD of Grand Rapids.

Born in Flint, Michigan to the late Dickran and Rose Chobanian, Armenians who immigrated from the Ottoman Empire (Sivas, Turkey) and Persia (Tabriz, Iran), Annette was proud to have attended the University of Michigan and later Oakland University, where she studied Chinese language and history. The Balians raised their family in Detroit, later moving to Birmingham and Oakland Township, and spent summers in Glen Arbor, Michigan. Annette moved to Naples full-time in recent years. 

With a passion for culture and the arts, Annette believed deeply in serving her community. She began as a docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1974, eventually serving on the volunteer council and board of trustees.  Over the years, she helped raise millions in donations for arts and cultural organizations in Detroit — including the Hilberry Theatre, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and  Michigan Opera Theater. She was a leader in many organizations. 

A child of the 1950s, Annette loved popular culture, and through these organizations she met many artists, designers and patrons of the arts. She welcomed notables such as Donna Karan and Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, both of whom she hosted in her home, Diana Ross, Marvin Hamlisch, Ivana Trump, and Tony Bennett, among others.

She loved travel, tech anything, biographies, movies, cooking, golf and bridge —playing three times per week with dear friends, some of whom she had known for over 60 years. 

Annette and her husband had a tradition of spending each New Year’s Eve in a different world capital. She loved music, and as a young mother organized nightly singalongs around the piano with her children, playing classics from the Great American Songbook. She loved concerts and would always be game for anything from Julio Iglesias to Blondie, Diana Ross, and even KISS…and she of course loved opera and the symphony. 

Annette had a passion for learning and was a member of book clubs, movie clubs, and regularly attended classes and lectures on art, history, film and culture until her final days. She created a vibrant community of friends in Naples, where she was a member of the Juliets, Neapolitans, and Circumnavigator’s Club. She was an avid golfer until 2020 at The Club Pelican Bay and The Moorings Country Club, a member of Naples Sailing & Yacht Club and Chaine des Rotisseurs. She treasured the many friends she made at these organizations. 

One of the last things she said to us was, "it was a marvelous life and just so much fun.” Her radiant smile conveyed that and more.

Annette’s inquisitive nature and zest for life were evident to all who knew her. Her legacy of love, fun, dedication, and service will continue through her family and the countless lives she touched. She will be deeply missed for her warmth, wisdom, and adventurous spirit.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 20, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at AJ Desmond Funeral Home, Vasu, Rodgers & Connell Chapel, 32515 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, Michigan.  Interment will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Annette Balian’s memory may be made to:

The Detroit Institute of Arts, Friends of Asian Art 

Artis Naples 

Naples Botanical Gardens