Elizabeth "Betty Ann" Balboni

Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Balboni, 94, died peacefully in her sleep on January 26th at Bear Mountain of Sudbury, where she had been a resident since 2019. She was the only daughter of Louis F. and Louise (Potenza) Cercone of Walpole MA, and was preceded in death by her brothers, Louis F. “Sonny” Cercone and Nicholas “Buddy” Cercone. She was a long-time resident of Medway MA.

She is survived by numerous friends and cousins as well as by many fond nieces and nephews:  Michael Cercone of Marblehead MA; Lauren Cercone (James Williamson) of Phoenix AZ; Diane Cercone of Dedham; Christopher Cercone (Christine Reynolds) of Concord MA and his children Christopher, Victoria, and Daniel; Faith Cercone of Walpole MA; and Len Cercone (Jill) of Natick MA and his children Téa and Noah; Lynn Cercone Camelio of Miami FL and her children Salvatore and Maria Camelio Kantro; Nicholas Cercone, Jr. (Suzanne) of Waltham MA and his children Nicholas III, Zachary, and Matthew; John Cercone of Waltham MA and his children John “Jack” and Bridget; Peter Cercone (Cindy) of Stow MA and his children Alexandra Cercone Petrucci and Shaye; Marc Cercone of Marlborough MA and his children Jennifer, Emily, and Lindsay; and Cara Cercone (Tina Gentile) of Marlborough MA.

Betty Ann married Lou Balboni of Norwood MA in 1958 and lived in Norwood until they later divorced. She remained an affectionate stepmother to his sons, Philip Balboni (Elizabeth Houghteling) of Cambridge MA and the late Christopher Balboni.   

After her father’s death in 1971, Betty Ann stepped up to run his business, Lou’s Country Auction at 320 Village Street in Medway. She was well-known in the area as an auctioneer and antique dealer, and was one of the few, if not the only, female auctioneers in Massachusetts.

Betty Ann will be remembered for her love of fashion and “bling”. She also loved to (frequently!) redesign and redecorate her houses. Her house on Lincoln Street in Medway became something of a local landmark for its bright pink exterior. Her interiors were always fun and full of unexpected details, with her trademark, Italian cherubs, peeking out from various spots, and many curios and art pieces collected over nearly 50 years in the antiques trade. 

She was a huge fan of classic jazz and its vocalists; Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday were two of her favorites. She enjoyed reading biographies and mysteries and was an insatiable fan of puzzles and crosswords. She was also an avid golfer.

Betty Ann was also proud of her Italian heritage, and loved all things Italian: food, wine, art, music, family, and friends. She always remembered the birthdays of her several godchildren. She loved to entertain and to laugh, especially over the antics of the youngest members of the family. In later years she often gathered with local pals as part of “the apple tree gang”, an informal group that would meet to swap stories and jokes over a glass of wine.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Elizabeth's Life Celebration on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 9:00-10:30 am in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole. A Funeral Home Service will be held at 10:30 am. Interment will follow at Terrace Hill Cemetery in Walpole.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in her name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate.