Thomas Balentine

ARNOLD MOORE & NEEKAMP FUNERAL HOME, BARTLESVILLE, OK (918) 336-5225 - T.J. Balentine, age 89, passed away at his home May 25, 2018, with his wife, Edra and daughter, Vicki, present. T.J. was born in Battiest, Oklahoma. He was the 5th child of Jack and Era Balentine. In 1930, the Balentine family moved to rural Hominy, Oklahoma, near the Mound Valley school. T.J. attended Mound Valley school and graduated there. After school, he moved to Bartlesville. T.J. and Edra Belle Tinsley were married on December 20, 1947 in Bartlesville. T.J. worked at Reda Pump. In 1952 he enlisted in the USAF and served four years during the Korean conflict. He served as a load master on a C 124, a cargo airplane. His first assignment after basic training in San Antonio, Texas was McChord Airbase near Tacoma, Washington. T.J. and Edra's first child, David, was born there. T.J. later was transferred to Hill Airbase near Ogden, Utah where their second son, Terry, was born. Their third child, Vicki, was born in Bartlesville. In T.J.'s younger years, he was a big game hunter. In fact, Edra calls her family room a dead zoo. T.J. rebuilt a "one of a kind" aircraft (now in the aircraft museum in Wichita, Kansas). He built two more aircraft like the original to make up "three of a kind". He was 85 years old the day he took the third airplane for its first flight. Soon after military time, he started his own television business in Bartlesville and Coffeyville, Kansas. He semi-retired from the TV business in 1993 to raise and sell ostrich. He always took his family to church. T.J. took his walk with the Lord more seriously in his later years. He bought a 1931 Ford Model-A , which he restored to original condition. He enjoyed going to the car shows where he received many trophies. T.J. was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and two sisters. He is survived by his wife; three children; five grand-children; four great-grandchildren; one brother and his wife; and one sister and her husband. Come and go visitation will be held on Thursday from 1:00-8:00 PM; and on Friday from 9:00 AM-8:00 PM in the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. Services for Mr. Balentine will be held on June 2 at 10:00 AM in the Word of Truth Fellowship Church (Bison and Durham). Rev. Jim Anderson will be the officiant. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com.

Visitation Details

Thursday, May 31st, 2018 1:00pm - 8:00pm, Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home

Friday, June 1st, 2018 9:00am - 8:00pm, Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home

Service Details

Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 10:00am, Word of Truth Fellowship Church

Interment Details

Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville