Early Life: Algene was born in Provo, Utah, on September 21, 1924. She was the oldest child of George Smith and Algie Eggertsen Ballif. Her parents recognized her talents early and encouraged her to explore the world around her, sending her to cousins in Boston, at the age of thirteen, for a year of study. At Provo High School, under the direction of Claude Snow, Algene pursued her love of the theatre, playing Shakespeare's Katherine in "The Taming of the Shrew," Emily from Wilder's "Our Town," and Queen Elizabeth I in Andersen's "Elizabeth the Queen."
Life's Work/Service/Interests: While attending the University of Utah, Gene was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority; continuing her acting pursuits in campus productions, receiving a B.A. in English with High Honors in 1946. In the 1950s, Gene lived in New York City, where she wrote literary and stage reviews for Commentary Magazine, joining the intellectual community at Columbia University that included such luminaries as Lionel and Diana Trilling, as well as, Lillian Hellman. She married Steve Marcus, who eventually became a professor of English at Columbia in 1949. The couple divorced in 1965. Gene then moved to Washington D.C. where she worked as a secretary at the Japanese Embassy. In 1970, Gene moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. She received a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University in 1974 and taught English at the University of Massachusetts Boston. While in Cambridge, Gene continued to write for Parnassus: Poetry in Review. In 1980, she returned to Utah to be close to her sister and brother, to help in the loving care of her parents in their later years. Gene was an involved and supportive aunt to her nieces, nephews and their children. She introduced them to the music, art and literature that she loved and will be remembered by them for her delight in their talents and accomplishments. Algene "Gene" Ballif Marcus passed away on April 5, 2014. She was a daughter, sister and beloved aunt, who used her many gifts in a tenacious pursuit of truth. She was 89.
Survived By: Her sister, Grethe Ballif Peterson; her sister-in-law, Ruth Ballif; and her nine nieces, nephews and their children.
Services: A family gathering.
Mortuary: Larkin Mortuary
Obituary: Provo Daily Herald | 26 Apr 2014
Bio compiled by: AnnieDuckettHundley
Life's Work/Service/Interests: While attending the University of Utah, Gene was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority; continuing her acting pursuits in campus productions, receiving a B.A. in English with High Honors in 1946. In the 1950s, Gene lived in New York City, where she wrote literary and stage reviews for Commentary Magazine, joining the intellectual community at Columbia University that included such luminaries as Lionel and Diana Trilling, as well as, Lillian Hellman. She married Steve Marcus, who eventually became a professor of English at Columbia in 1949. The couple divorced in 1965. Gene then moved to Washington D.C. where she worked as a secretary at the Japanese Embassy. In 1970, Gene moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. She received a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University in 1974 and taught English at the University of Massachusetts Boston. While in Cambridge, Gene continued to write for Parnassus: Poetry in Review. In 1980, she returned to Utah to be close to her sister and brother, to help in the loving care of her parents in their later years. Gene was an involved and supportive aunt to her nieces, nephews and their children. She introduced them to the music, art and literature that she loved and will be remembered by them for her delight in their talents and accomplishments. Algene "Gene" Ballif Marcus passed away on April 5, 2014. She was a daughter, sister and beloved aunt, who used her many gifts in a tenacious pursuit of truth. She was 89.
Survived By: Her sister, Grethe Ballif Peterson; her sister-in-law, Ruth Ballif; and her nine nieces, nephews and their children.
Services: A family gathering.
Mortuary: Larkin Mortuary
Obituary: Provo Daily Herald | 26 Apr 2014
Bio compiled by: AnnieDuckettHundley
Early Life: Algene was born in Provo, Utah, on September 21, 1924. She was the oldest child of George Smith and Algie Eggertsen Ballif. Her parents recognized her talents early and encouraged her to explore the world around her, sending her to cousins in Boston, at the age of thirteen, for a year of study. At Provo High School, under the direction of Claude Snow, Algene pursued her love of the theatre, playing Shakespeare's Katherine in "The Taming of the Shrew," Emily from Wilder's "Our Town," and Queen Elizabeth I in Andersen's "Elizabeth the Queen."
Life's Work/Service/Interests: While attending the University of Utah, Gene was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority; continuing her acting pursuits in campus productions, receiving a B.A. in English with High Honors in 1946. In the 1950s, Gene lived in New York City, where she wrote literary and stage reviews for Commentary Magazine, joining the intellectual community at Columbia University that included such luminaries as Lionel and Diana Trilling, as well as, Lillian Hellman. She married Steve Marcus, who eventually became a professor of English at Columbia in 1949. The couple divorced in 1965. Gene then moved to Washington D.C. where she worked as a secretary at the Japanese Embassy. In 1970, Gene moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. She received a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University in 1974 and taught English at the University of Massachusetts Boston. While in Cambridge, Gene continued to write for Parnassus: Poetry in Review. In 1980, she returned to Utah to be close to her sister and brother, to help in the loving care of her parents in their later years. Gene was an involved and supportive aunt to her nieces, nephews and their children. She introduced them to the music, art and literature that she loved and will be remembered by them for her delight in their talents and accomplishments. Algene "Gene" Ballif Marcus passed away on April 5, 2014. She was a daughter, sister and beloved aunt, who used her many gifts in a tenacious pursuit of truth. She was 89.
Survived By: Her sister, Grethe Ballif Peterson; her sister-in-law, Ruth Ballif; and her nine nieces, nephews and their children.
Services: A family gathering.
Mortuary: Larkin Mortuary
Obituary: Provo Daily Herald | 26 Apr 2014
Bio compiled by: AnnieDuckettHundley
Life's Work/Service/Interests: While attending the University of Utah, Gene was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority; continuing her acting pursuits in campus productions, receiving a B.A. in English with High Honors in 1946. In the 1950s, Gene lived in New York City, where she wrote literary and stage reviews for Commentary Magazine, joining the intellectual community at Columbia University that included such luminaries as Lionel and Diana Trilling, as well as, Lillian Hellman. She married Steve Marcus, who eventually became a professor of English at Columbia in 1949. The couple divorced in 1965. Gene then moved to Washington D.C. where she worked as a secretary at the Japanese Embassy. In 1970, Gene moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. She received a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University in 1974 and taught English at the University of Massachusetts Boston. While in Cambridge, Gene continued to write for Parnassus: Poetry in Review. In 1980, she returned to Utah to be close to her sister and brother, to help in the loving care of her parents in their later years. Gene was an involved and supportive aunt to her nieces, nephews and their children. She introduced them to the music, art and literature that she loved and will be remembered by them for her delight in their talents and accomplishments. Algene "Gene" Ballif Marcus passed away on April 5, 2014. She was a daughter, sister and beloved aunt, who used her many gifts in a tenacious pursuit of truth. She was 89.
Survived By: Her sister, Grethe Ballif Peterson; her sister-in-law, Ruth Ballif; and her nine nieces, nephews and their children.
Services: A family gathering.
Mortuary: Larkin Mortuary
Obituary: Provo Daily Herald | 26 Apr 2014
Bio compiled by: AnnieDuckettHundley
Gravesite Details
Interment 27 June 2014
Family Members
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