Mr. Mario H. Balconi

MARIO H. BALCONI, 1923-2003Avid golfer helped run family firms

SANDUSKY - Mario H. Balconi, who with his brother, Geno, were second-generation owners of a family-run monument company here and who opened a motel that attracted Cedar Point patrons, died Wednesday in his home.He was 79.

He had cancer.Until the last two months, he continued to cook meals and help care for his wife, Marilyn, who has Alzheimer's disease, their son, John, said.

Mr. Balconi retired in 1987 from the business, now known as Balconi Monuments, Inc.His brother had retired earlier.
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Mr. Balconi and his brother became co-owners of the monument company in the late 1950s after their father's death.It was a partnership - neither had a formal title - with Mr. Balconi running the office and designing the memorials.His brother was salesman.

Mr. Balconi liked the independence of owning a business.

"Part of the satisfaction was in helping people, when they could buy a marker or monument that [was] special for their family," his son said.

The brothers in 1960 opened the Sands Motel, which eventually grew to 90 rooms.

"They just had an opportunity to get an option on some land across the street from the monument company," his son said."We were able to expand the motel as Cedar Point got bigger."

They later bought an adjacent restaurant, which became the Sands Diner.
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Mr. Balconi was a graduate of Sandusky High School and attended Washington University in St. Louis.He was an Army veteran of World War II and was wounded in December, 1944, while in France.He received a Purple Heart.

He was a Mason and was a former trustee of the Italian American Beneficial Club in Sandusky.He was a member of the Elks Lodge.

Mr. Balconi was a 45-year member of Plum Brook Country Club.

"His passion was golf," his son said."He was a caddy as a kid, and he was able to play golf a lot.That was part of the luxury of having his own business.He was able to wiggle some golf time into that."

He and his wife spent winters in Naples, Fla., traveled that state to golf, and were members of the Royal Palm Country Club there.