BANKS
Make your plans now!
Sunday, October 12 The 73rd Reunion of the
Summer-Fall
Thomas Marion Banks Family
2008 VIOLA “Ode” BANKS BYRUM Born May 14, 1890, Viola Banks was the fourth child of Thomas Marion and Georgia DeLura—Ode became her nickname and it stuck with the red-haired girl through life. At the age of thirteen her mother died, leaving the responsibility of raising younger brothers and sisters to herself and older sister, Ophelia. Not only did she help with her siblings and household chores, all the children learned to pick cotton and worked in the fields alongside their father. At the age of twenty, Viola was engaged to Bob Waters, a local man from Franklin County. But two weeks before they’re wedding date, Bob died of typhoid fever. Following the untimely death of Bob Waters, Dr. Lothridge taught some nursing skills to Viola and wanted to train her to be his assistant as he made his calls across the county tending patients. However, the nursing profession suffered a poor reputation at that time and Thomas Marion would not permit it. A decade after the death of Bob Waters, Viola married a bachelor named Joseph (Joe) Riley Byrum of Anderson, SC. She was thirty and Joe Byrum was thirty-four. The young couple moved to Anderson and Joe ran the family farm and managed the brick making business with his father, Joseph Newton Byrum. Their first son, Paul Banks Byrum was born in Anderson. With their three-month old son, the couple moved to Homestead, Florida, in 1921. Joe’s sister’s husband had purchased a 40-acre avocado grove and needed Joe Inside this issue: P.2 The Hurricane to manage it. The grove was called “Rim Rock” Remembering Aunt Ode because of the coral rocky land. Second son JoBy Thomas Dixon seph Phillips Byrum was born while they lived there. A 160-acre tract of land, about two miles northwest of town, was purchased by the Phillips Family News & Announcements P.3 and Joe and Viola moved to the new property. P.3 Grano Joe cleared the land, planted avocado, mango, and lime trees, along with a few orange and grapefruit for their personal use. Two sons would Susan DeLura Garrison follow—Albert Riley and Homer Hillman—and the family was completed with the birth of remembers her grandmother, Viola Banks Byrum two daughters, Ruth and May Elizabeth. At the age of forty-five, Viola had a “near death experience” during abdominal surgery. With the help of a young surgeon, Dr. James Archer Smith, the Lord saw fit for her to live and to raise her children to adulthood. All of her sons served in the military during World War II and all returned home uninjured. Joseph Riley Byrum died in 1960. When the Lord called Viola home on November 15, 1980—her 90th year—she had four living children, 18 grandchildren, and 12 greatgrandchildren. Contributed by Thomas Dixon
Pecan Pie Recipe By Jeri Chasteen
P.4 P.4
Contest!!!
Summer-Fall 2008
Page 2
THE HURRICANE I remember a trip to Florida to visit the Byrums: Uncle Joe and Aunt Ode. It happened half a century ago, in 1944. Mrs. Frank Poole and her daughter, Emily, were en route to Miami to return to Cuba as missionaries. Her son Kenneth drove and I was invited along to provide “room and board” from numerous relatives scattered across Georgia and the Carolinas, a custom that was born during the depression years. We spent several days on the road and finally arrived in Homestead, the Byrum’s home. Just as we arrived, dark clouds began to roll in and winds began to whip. Uncle Joe predicted a hurricane was in the making. A little later his prediction came true—a hurricane rolled in with a fury. We all hurriedly pitched in and made preparations. The house was secured, the barn, and all the animals. And then the hurricane hit with full force. The sky grew dark, rain fell in sheets, and fierce winds doubled the palm trees. Meanwhile, we had all gathered in the living room, singing and praying. Uncle Joe asked Mrs. Poole to continue, and we sang hymns, one after another, for hours and hours. Aunt Ode made sure we had plenty of food and provided encouragement by saying, “Just another little bit of excitement that can only be found in south Florida.” Soon the winds grew calm and we stepped outside. Uncle Joe said the winds would soon shift and begin blowing from the opposite direction, that we were in the eye of the storm. He also said insects that would blow in from nearby marshes would overpower us. He was right on all accounts. The next few days were spent clearing roads and I had my first experience with a chain saw. We finally made it to Homestead and found only one gas station in operation. It operated only because gas was pumped by hand into a glass tank and gravity fed into the tank of the car. That was my first encounter with a hurricane, and even though howling winds and blowing rain frightened us, Uncle Joe and Aunt Ode lessened our anxieties with their warmth and their love. I was fourteen at the time, but I can still hear that room full of voices singing and praying all through the night. Thomas Dixon, Lavonia, GA.
Summer-Fall 2008
Page 3
Uncle Groves On July 12, 2008, Diane & David Leonard celebrated their 10 year wedding anniversary at a party given by sister, Cheryl Murphy of Cartersville, GA. We were all in tears when David serenaded Diane with a beautiful song he had written about their life together and his love for her. Maybe we can get him to sing it at the reunion this year! Diane is the daughter of Bill & Colleen Banks, and granddaughter of Groves & Ethyl Banks. UNCLE JOHN Congratulations to Matthew Banbury upon graduation from the Univ. of N.C. (Charlotte) in the Summer session. Matthew is the son of Susan & Jim Banbury and the grandson of Dolores & Charles Banks.
Our biggest news is a new grandson courtesy of oldest daughter Shannon and husband John Durrant. He arrived on June 3, 2008 weighing 8 lbs. 2 ozs. They named him Davis Jacob Durrant.
Wish Mother and Daddy were still around to enjoy that! He was welcomed by big brother, 3 1/2 year old Connor. That brings our total to 4 grandsons. grandparents Tom and Sharon Cook, greatgrandparents J.C. and Irene Davis, daughter of Groves & Ethel Banks.
Aunt Alice Heidi and Chris Terrell are expecting a baby boy toward the end of September!! Chris is the son of Rusty & Karen Terrell. The eye doctors in Athens, GA have done all they can for Jeri Chasteen’s eyes, and are now sending her to a doctor in Atlanta. So far, they have found tumors behind both eyes, and are still running tests. (I can be contacted at 706-461-4269. Jeri Chasteen)
GRANO Susan DeLura Garrison, Homestead, FL. God gives us food to eat, water to drink, and grandmothers to fill our hearts with love. And oh, how I fondly remember my grandmother, Viola Banks Byrum, a devoted Christian who instilled in me the importance of family ties. Although a great distance separated her from her brothers and sisters in Georgia and the Carolinas, she spoke of them often and never tired of telling stories from her youth. As a child growing up, I was among the fortunate in that my grandparents lived just a block away. Grano, as Viola was known by her 18 grandchildren—a name coined by cousin Bruce—had a knack for growing plants and loved flowers of all descriptions, a trait that she passed on to my mother, Ruth, and in turn to me and my generation. I spent many nights keeping Grano company, and many times the evening wouldn’t have been complete without making blackberry Jell-O with bananas. After it gelled, she would fix each of us a bowl and we would eat in front of the TV, watching The Ed Sullivan Show or Lawrence Welk. And all 18 grandchildren carry fond memories of climbing the cherry tree and eating the ripe fruit. Grano was a firm believer in discipline, and one time or another, all of her “grands” were subjected to her famous “peach tree switch.” But I can attest that it was used sparingly, the threat of being switched was usually sufficient to modify our behavior. Twice in the autumn of her years she was featured on the front page of the Homestead News. The first time being the time she grew an Easter lily that had fourteen blooms. The second time, the newspaper labeled her “The bionic Grandmother.” At the age of 90, Grano had the first hip replacement in the City of Homestead. I could go on and on about my heritage and never tire. In fact, my family roots are so deep, my pride so real, I recently opened a photography studio and named it Portraits by Susan DeLura, in honor of my great-grandmother, Georgia DeLura Banks.
Summer-Fall 2008
Page 4
From the kitchen of Alice Terrell Submitted by Jeri Chasteen
Pecan Pie 3 eggs 1 cup sugar ¼ cup white Karo Syrup
Bobby Terrell
¼ cup melted margarine 1 cup chopped pecans
George Banks
Partially cook one pie crust until just light brown. Stir together the sugar, Karo syrup and melted margarine. Then add beaten eggs and chopped pecans. Pour the filling into the pie crust, and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
CONTEST Do you know these children? You’re thinking they look familiar, but you can’t quite figure it out . . . “Hummmmmm”, you say, while scratching your head! The child on the left has all the markings of a Terrell—but which one?? Now, just WHO is that little girl on the right?
Answer correctly, (or incorrectly) and you win a wonderful dinner for yourself and your entire family on October 12, 2008, at the 73rd reunion of the Thomas Marion Banks family in Lavonia, Georgia! The answer is hidden somewhere on this page!
Got Scoop for the next newsletter? You may send it via email to donnabdodd@yahoo.com or by U.S. Mail to: Donna Dodd, 3425 Spinnaker Way, Acworth, GA 30102
Phone: 678-574-7071