Tax preparer, cancer survivor Joseph Balfour passes away

JOSEPH HANNON BALFOUR, a registered tax preparer, passed away on Sunday, April 3, 2016.

Balfour, who had a tax preparation service in Metairie, was registered through the Internal Revenue Service.

Remarkably, Balfour was a rare pancreatic cancer survivor for the past 16 years and was actively involved with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the Lustgarden Foundation, and Cancer Survivors of Baton Rouge. As a member of these survivor networks, he counseled victims stricken with pancreatic cancer and worked with other survivors from across the country to answer questions about pancreatic cancer survival. The disease has one of the highest mortality rates among cancers. Balfour hoped to help as many other survivors as he could, so they would not have to go through the recovery period alone.

Balfour was a member of Congregation Gates of Prayer.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Myra (née Strug) Balfour, a son, Bruce Balfour (Nan) of San Antonio; a daughter,Wendy Balfour Lopes (Kevin) of Mystic, Connecticut; a sister-in-law, Robette Shurman (late Gary) and three grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are preferred to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Graveside services were conducted by Rabbi Robert Loewy at Gates of Prayer Cemetery, 1412 Joseph Street, on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.

Arrangements were by Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home, 1600 N. Causeway Blvd.