BANKS WINTER-SPRING 2012
A Mother-In-Law’s Gift
Mark your calendars, and plan to attend the
77th Reunion of the
Thomas Marion Banks Family
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Details in the next newsletter!
by Ed Banks
Upon the death of my Grandmother Ethel in 1974, many of her belongings were given to various family members. Aunt Martha found a bundle of old letters in a chest. They had been written by my dad to my grandmother while he was away serving our country in WWII. He was killed in combat September 13, 1944, a month before my birth. Aunt Martha brought the letters to me, insisting that I preserve them. I put the letters away in a safe place, unread. I was too busy and too young to take time to delve into the past and stir up painful memories. But I knew that someday I would have to read those letters and get acquainted with my father whom I had never seen. Finally, a few years ago I mustered the courage to read the letters. I picked a day when I was home alone. It was an anxious time. What if my dad wasn’t what I envisioned? I sorted through the letters and arranged them according to dates. I began to read. I was surprised. It Groves & Ethel Banks was almost like reading something I would have written myself. More than that, some of the statements and phrases sounded like what I had heard from my son, Alan. I was overwhelmed by the recognition of the power of genetics. As I read, the first letter told of his first days in the Army at Fort Benning, Georgia. He enlisted in 1940, over a year before the Pearl Harbor attack and the beginning of World War II. He wrote regularly to assure the family that he was well. The letters told of all the places his outfit visited for training maneuvers in preparation for going to the battlefront in Europe. They camped in Florida, the California desert and finally spent the winter in the northern States getting used to living outside in the cold. In one letter he asked Grandmother to make some more caps and send them to him. He said the men liked them and he could easily sell them. I was puzzled. What kind of cap could my grandmother have made that soldiers would want? The answer came surprisingly a couple of years later from my wife. One evening Marlene was making something with crocheting. I asked what it was and she said, “It’s a winter cap for our grandson.” It looked just like the storebought knit caps that you wear in cold weather. She further reminded me that she learned to crochet from my mother soon after we were married. My mother had told her, “My daughter-in-law must know how to crochet.” Furthermore, my mother was taught to crochet by my Grandmother Ethel who had made those caps for the soldiers in World War II. It was a gift passed down to daughters-in-law twice over. And now, every winter Marlene crochets our grandson, Jacob Thomas(J.T.), a new winter cap. This past year, Marlene also crocheted little blankets to keep J.T.’s stuffed animals warm for the winter. Pleased at the sight of his furry friends huddled together wearing their blankets, he smiles for the camera— proudly wearing the special new cap made by his Meme!
Ed & Marlene— Grandparents Day at J.T.’s school
Winter-Spring 2012
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John Allen Banks Family Matthew Banbury returned to Korea in November to begin his second year of teaching English in a private school in Seoul. In January, a proposal he had made months earlier, was fulfilled, and January 8th saw the marriage of Matthew to Yona Cho. Among family and friends, the wedding was held in Buson. Although Matthew’s parents, Jim and Susan, were unable to attend, they witnessed the ceremony over SKYPE. After vows were exchanged and following tradition, the young couple bowed before Yona’s parents. And then they bowed before the tiny camera that transmitted their love half-way around the globe to Matthew’s parents, Jim and Susan Banbury. Congratulations to Matthew and Yona Cho. Susan is the daughter of Charles & Delores Banks. John and Eleanor Banks have moved to a retirement community in Tampa, Florida so they could be near their children—Allen & Margie, Liz & Owen, and, one of the pleasures of aging, their grandchildren.
Alice Banks Terrell Family Alicia is currently work on her Business degree at the University of Phoenix. She started a new career as an Assistant Manager at Security Finance in Clarksville, Georgia this past fall. Alicia is the daughter of Rusty and Karen Terrell. Rusty Terrell and friends, Stanley Brooks and Jason Hanley will be taking our motorcycles to Sturgis, South Dakota for bike week the first week in August.
Viola Banks Byrum Patrick and Monte Wiggins-Stack are moving to the Grovetown/Martinez GA area to be near her brother Woody Wiggins and his wife Carla, who live in Lincolnton. Cant wait to meet everyone as the time allows... We’ve already talked to Russell and as soon as we get a Goldwing we will be on the road again.... Love, forever and always family... Patrick and Monte Byrum Wiggins-Stack
William Groves Banks Family As many are aware, Truitt Banks has been in and out hospitals and nursing homes during the past year. He has just finished a long secession of therapy and is doing well. He currently resides in the Martha Franks Retirement Home in Laurens, SC. Room 127, 1 Martha Franks Drive, 29360. His phone number is 864 684 6591. Dad celebrated this 85th birthday on January 22nd and I know he would love to hear from anyone. Brenda Blasco Brenda is the daughter of Bennie Lou & Truitt Banks.
Gertrude Banks Prince Family Rob Stapleton and his family will be moving to Pensacola, FL in June. He will have completed his two years of classes in medical school and if everything goes as planned, will start two years of clinical rotations at the Navy hospital. Rob is the son of Jeri and Rob Stapleton.
Winter-Spring 2012
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Have you ever wondered what happened to Bud Banks’ eye? Well, wonder no more. We went to Thomas Dixon with the question, and here’s his reply: Let us go back to a scene taking place on a morning in 1920 as the mule is being hitched to the plow. Thomas Marion was kicked in the head by the mule. "Bud", as Thomas Marion was better known, was carried into the house and put on the kitchen table so the doctor could better see him by the lantern light. It was late afternoon when the Doctors operated as it took all day to get the Doctors, and by now there were two of them, Dr. Stewart Brown of Royston and Dr. Ayers of Toccoa. There was also a nurse from Atlanta. As told by a daughter, Gertrude Banks Prince, Dr. Ayers had sewn the wound up without tying off a blood vessel because he thought Bud was going to die anyway from his injuries. Dr. Brown asked that the wound be reopened so that the blood vessel could be sewn to stop the bleeding. This was done and is felt to be the reason Bud recovered and lived for another twenty years. Thomas Dixon
Fun at the 2011 Banks Reunion! Rusty Terrell & Ron Mitchell Diane Banks Leonard La`el Ankerich
Lanny Banks, George & Norma Banks
Megan Banks and Ethan
Bambie & Phil Hiott with daughter, Lily Raine
Front row: Lauren Banks, David Leonard, David & Loretta Byrum, Grace Byrum Mitchell back row: Jenny & Tom Gallaher, Billy Banks
Winter-Spring 2012
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A Grandfather’s Golf Lesson
By Charles Honea
It was a beautiful sunny summer day at the Victoria Bryant State Park Golf Course. My grandson, Joshua, had just completed his first week-long golf camp and boy was he excited! The camp ended with a tournament for the participants of all age groups. This is the story about our adventures. There are three things I learned about Golf that day. They are as follows, so hold on to your golf cap: First, never try to drive a golf cart with one hand and the other arm around your grandson. The golf cart always drives better with four wheels on the path rather than two. Well, what did you expect with a grandpa high on caffeine, while driving a golf cart to be the first one to tee off.? After getting the cart, back on track, Joshua said, “Two hands on the wheel, pa, two hands on the wheel.” OK! Second, never use your lucky Sponge Bob Square Paints Golf Balls in tournament play. It never fails. You will hit the ball a good whack, then it will find the only tall tree on the fairway, and ricochet in the ruff of the woods. No you can never find that same ball, but you can find four more good balls of the same color. Third, never park a golf cart anywhere near a young chipping contestant. Despite all efforts to hit the golf ball straight, the ball has a mind of its own. The angry golf ball will find that golf cart, careen off its hood, and travel a "A kid grows up a lot least two strokes back down the hill. That golf ball should be labeled a rebel. Finally, after many faster on the golf whacks with an iron, it will find a hole to hide in. course. Golf teaches Why are grandparents the greatest? No you how to behave." matter how a grandchild plays, they give a complement and a hug. Why are grandchildren the greatest? In our eyes, they can do no wrong. Jack Nicklaus
Joshua is the son of Sandy & Chris Ankerich; grandson of Charles & Elaine Banks Honea, and greatgrandson of Evelyn and Verner Banks of Carnesville, Georgia.
The 1950 Video Star ….
By Jeri Stapleton
When I was little, we used to go to Aunt Martha and Uncle Bartow King’s house every year for Christmas. I remember one visit in particular when I was about 4 or 5. Bob would have been a teenager, and Mary Lou and Peter were grown. Anyhow, we planned to make some pictures out on Aunt Martha's porch. Daddy had borrowed a movie camera from the college where he worked, and would you believe, it made color, silent films. Mamma (Gertrude), wanted it to be perfect before I came in and saw what Santa had brought. Of course, it was well rehearsed as I had already seen and played with my gifts. Mamma, still had on her old, ratty bathrobe, and was placing gifts back under he tree so we could film the movie. Uncle Bartow and Daddy decided to film her setting up, but she did not know they were filming. Needless to say, in a few weeks when the film was developed and mailed to us, Momma was NOT happy! I still have it on VCR, and we still laugh about it at our house.
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