Marie Balfour

Marie Balfour (84), of Abilene passed away June 2, 2025. She was a loving wife, sister, aunt, friend, mother and grandmother known for her gentle smile, her caring and understanding, and her "dump and pour" approach to cooking and a deep love of butter - on and in everything. She had an easy-going nature and an ability to put up with challenging people. She was a long-time Abilene resident having moved from her hometown of Clay Center when her family was very young. Making a welcoming home was important to Marie and she and her husband built two of their homes in the area, doing much of the work themselves.
Marie was born in Clay Center, KS August 19,1940 to Leonard and Eulah (Bergstrom) Chaffee. Growing up on farms outside of Green, KS Marie had fond memories of the simple pleasures and the many hardships of country life. After her mother's death at an early age, Marie's maternal grandparents Effie and Daniel Bergstrom moved in to help raise Marie and her siblings.
Her early education was in the one-room Pleasant Hill School. Her family were members of the Alert Covenant Church. She graduated from Clay County Community High School in 1958 and married Gilbert L. Balfour on November 30, 1958.
Marie worked as a data entry operator at Alco-Duckwall, a Legal Secretary for the county district attorney and as an Administrative Assistant for Federal Land Bank. Later in life she was Mary Kay consultant and opened one of the first bed & breakfasts in the state, Balfour's House. She was a founding member and an officer of the Kansas Bed & Breakfast Association and worked with Abilene's travel and tourism group.
She was an active member of the Abilene First Presbyterian Church for many years. She was also a long-time member of Beta Sigma Phi and PEO. Marie and her husband, Gilbert, were also long-term Abilene Elks Club members and were known for their dancing skills.
After retirement Marie enjoyed traveling with her husband, helping take care of grandchildren and great grandchildren and spending time with family, especially while camping and boating at Milford Lake.
Marie is survived by her children and their spouses - Lynnette & Greg Sare (Talmage); Deb and Guy Hanson (Abilene); Tim and Gary Balfour (Medford, OR); four grandchildren and spouses: Joshua and Miranda Sare, Jennifer and Jason Morton, Jasen and Alecia Sare, and Carly and Jake Nusbaum; 10 great-grandchildren: Marley, PJ and Benji O'Reilly; Cheyenne (Zack) Hough, Dakota (Maddie), Stanton (Savannah) and Kaylyn Morton, Hayes and Reece Sare, Harper and Holden Nusbaum; and 3 great-great-grandchildren Maeson, Oakley and Cohen Morton. Marie is also survived by sisters-in-law Nancy (Richard) Pifer (Topeka), Carolyn Chaffee (Clay Center), Ilene Chaffee (Georgetown, IN) and Leslie Stravinsky (Erie, PA) as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gilbert, and siblings Phyllis Rosenow, Gary Chaffee, Jim Chaffee and brothers-in-law Warren Balfour and Don Rosenow.
Memorials are suggested to Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County and may be sent to Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home at 414 NW 3rd, Abilene, KS 67410.
A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday, June 22 at Abilene First Presbyterian Church, 505 NW 3rd Street. A time of visitation with light refreshments served will follow the service.