Arthur Eugene Balfour was born on December 29th, 1927 to Henley Leroy and Gertie Orlo (Duncan) Balfour in Camargo, Oklahoma. He passed away peacefully at home on July 10th, 2018 at Vici, Oklahoma.
He was the seventh of eight Balfour children who survived to adulthood. Gene lost his mother at the age of two leaving his father Roy to raise them alone. The unfortunate circumstances forced Roy to place the three youngest children, Paul Gene and Virgil, with other families in the area. At the age of four Gene was sent to live with the John Buck family southeast of Vici. The Buck family provided him a safe stable home through his formative years and he developed a strong work ethic.
In his teenage years he left the Buck farm and began living with his older sisters who were establishing households of their own. At age fifteen America was at war and Gene was in the San Francisco shipyards building barges for the war effort. Despite his young age he was a foreman over a large crew of steelworkers. Because of his age, Labor laws forced him to return to school so he returned to Vici.
He graduated from Vici High School in the class of 1945. While he was in school he loved playing on Vici's 6 man football team and never missed a play the whole time he was in school. In January 1946, shortly after his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Germany and assigned to the 393rd Military Police Battalion stationed at Furth. His unit helped provide security for the Nuremberg War Crimes trials.
After his hitch in the Army he returned to Oklahoma and, with his first wife Flossie, farmed the original family place east of Camargo. During these years they had three children: Cheryl, Roy and Michael. After several years on the Farm, Gene began working in the Oilfield. Due to his work ethic, intelligence and personality he thrived and soon was highly regarded in the drilling business. While living in Woodward he and wife Roberta had two sons Darrell and Kevin. In the 70's they moved to Vici and he continued his Oilfield career. When he retired in the 80's he was Drilling Superintendent and Vice President of Fairway Drilling Company.
After Retiring from the oilfield he spent the next few decades doing what he really enjoyed, raising and tending cattle. He also enjoyed fishing and gardening over the years.
He is preceded in death by his parents and siblings Pearl ,Blanche, Letha, Audrey, Dora Lee, Paul and Virgil; Two sons Roy and Michael, And a grandson Jared. He is survived by his wife Roberta, daughter Cheryl and sons Darrell and Kevin. He also is survived by eight grandchildren,  seventeen great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.  He will be laid to rest among family in the Bloomfield Cemetery. He will be sorely missed by family and friends.


Memorials may be made to the:

Vici EMT
c/o Shaw Funeral Home