Dr. Sheldon D. Balbirer

Sheldon (Shelly) Donald Balbirer passed away on January 12, 2026, two days shy of his 86th birthday.

He was born to the late Abraham and Estelle Balbirer, on January 14, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York. Shelly graduated from Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York, and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University. Shelly furthered his education by earning his PhD in Finance, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which led to his widely used nickname of "Dr. B."

He married Roslyn (Roz) Kay Hirsch in 1960 and they celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2010, and enjoyed their life together until her passing in 2012. Roz and Shelly lived in Pittsburgh, PA before moving to Durham in 1966.

Shelly's work life started in Chemical Engineering, but things changed when he moved to North Carolina to assist his father-in-law in a manufacturing business. That job prompted Shelly to pursue his PhD and changed his career path towards teaching where he became a professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Shelly became the Director of UNCG's MBA Program where he launched their full-time day program, bringing younger students and international students to the University. Shelly earned two top teaching awards during his career at UNCG. In 1980, he won the Alumni Teaching Excellence Award, and for the 1988-1989 academic year, he was honored with the Bryan School of Business & Economics Teaching Award. He also co-authored the textbook "Modern Corporate Finance: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Value Creation", a book that he quipped "was a real page turner!"

In his younger years, Shelly enjoyed playing basketball and running. He played basketball in college, and continued pursuing this passion, playing in pickup games at local schools in Durham. The other players that knew him, often picked Shelly for their teams because they knew his outside shot, from what would have been the 3-point line, was nearly unstoppable. His running experience was highlighted when he took part in the torch run for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.

After Roz's passing in 2012, Shelly was enriched by his companion, Joyce Rudick, along with her children and grandchildren. They enjoyed traveling the world, seeing plays and musicals, and their time with family and friends.

Shelly is survived by his daughters and their husbands (also known as his sons as Shelly didn't consider them in-laws) Rena and James Cooper, and Amy and Michael Windham, his granddaughter, Ryker Windham, his companion, Joyce Rudick, his sister and her husband, Myrna and Steve Parker, along with Roz's sisters Phyllis Hirsch and Diane Hirsch, a nephew, nieces and cousins. Shelly loved his family and friends and will be deeply missed by all.

To honor Shelly's memory, eat dessert first and make a donation in his name to the Social Action Fund at https://www.judeareform.org/philanthropic-funds.html or contribute to the Giving Garden Food Pantry at https://a.co/iLDjRBC.

A funeral service celebrating Shelly's life will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026 12:00 PM, at the Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Road, Durham. Officiating will be Rabbi Hannah Bender. Burial will follow in Judea Reform Congregation Cemetery in Chapel Hill.