Obituary for Ellen 'Catherine' Banks
Ellen “Catherine” Banks, 86, of Canyon, passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Memorial services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, July 25, 2020 at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Steve Olsen and Rev. Gene Jones officiating. Private burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 5:30 P.M. on Friday, July 24, 2020 at Brooks Chapel.
Catherine was born in Vega, TX on October 6, 1933 to W.A. (Zeb) Hammer and Bessie Simpson Hammer. She lived and went to school for 12 years in Vega. She met the love of her life, Charles Banks, in 1950 at a Youth Dance in Adrian, TX and they married on March 9, 1951 in Tucumcari, NM.
They lived in an apartment in Vega while Charles attended Amarillo College. They both began studies at West Texas College in 1954, and Catherine received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Following graduation, they moved to Groom, TX in 1956, where Charles taught and coached for 6 years. They then moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1962.
Catherine started teaching elementary school in 1964 and received her Master’s Degree from Arizona State University. She retired from teaching in 1988 and moved back to Texas where she continued to teach children as she substituted in Canyon elementary schools. Catherine also taught children about Jesus throughout her life even in later years, helping with Awanas at FBC Canyon.
From a farmer’s daughter to a farmer’s wife to a schoolteacher, Catherine was a wonderful wife, mother of three, grandmother to seven, and great-grandmother to twelve. She made wonderful friends everywhere that she lived, in Vega, at WT, Groom, Phoenix and then back in Canyon.
She loved spending time with family and friends, camping, fishing, playing games, cooking, sewing, and doing mountains of laundry for her daughter and granddaughters. Traveling to see beautiful fall foliage was one of her favorite things.
Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, W.A. and Bessie Hammer, a brother, Gene Hammer, a daughter, Sandee Larkin, and a son, Randy Banks. Survivors include her husband of 69 years, Charles Banks; a daughter Pamela Haymes and husband, Tracy, of Canyon; a sister, Laverne Jackson of Borger; seven grandchildren, Sarah Cooper and husband Matt, Aimee Grant and husband Brett, Joe Banks and wife Elizabeth, Josh Banks and wife Nicole, Jacob Banks and wife Jamie, Kyle Haymes and wife Kodi, and Reese Haymes and wife Meagan; twelve great grandchildren, McKenna and Caroline Cooper, Fisher and Grayson Grant, Berkley and Ben Banks, Hunter, Luke and Beau Banks, Jordan and Jentry Banks, and Hallie Haymes; and many loved family members and friends.
The family suggests memorials be to Amarillo Angels, 2200 4th Avenue #141, Canyon, TX 79015 or online at AmarilloAngels.org (please note in the message box that it is a memorial for Catherine Banks).
Catherine was born in Vega, TX on October 6, 1933 to W.A. (Zeb) Hammer and Bessie Simpson Hammer. She lived and went to school for 12 years in Vega. She met the love of her life, Charles Banks, in 1950 at a Youth Dance in Adrian, TX and they married on March 9, 1951 in Tucumcari, NM.
They lived in an apartment in Vega while Charles attended Amarillo College. They both began studies at West Texas College in 1954, and Catherine received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Following graduation, they moved to Groom, TX in 1956, where Charles taught and coached for 6 years. They then moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1962.
Catherine started teaching elementary school in 1964 and received her Master’s Degree from Arizona State University. She retired from teaching in 1988 and moved back to Texas where she continued to teach children as she substituted in Canyon elementary schools. Catherine also taught children about Jesus throughout her life even in later years, helping with Awanas at FBC Canyon.
From a farmer’s daughter to a farmer’s wife to a schoolteacher, Catherine was a wonderful wife, mother of three, grandmother to seven, and great-grandmother to twelve. She made wonderful friends everywhere that she lived, in Vega, at WT, Groom, Phoenix and then back in Canyon.
She loved spending time with family and friends, camping, fishing, playing games, cooking, sewing, and doing mountains of laundry for her daughter and granddaughters. Traveling to see beautiful fall foliage was one of her favorite things.
Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, W.A. and Bessie Hammer, a brother, Gene Hammer, a daughter, Sandee Larkin, and a son, Randy Banks. Survivors include her husband of 69 years, Charles Banks; a daughter Pamela Haymes and husband, Tracy, of Canyon; a sister, Laverne Jackson of Borger; seven grandchildren, Sarah Cooper and husband Matt, Aimee Grant and husband Brett, Joe Banks and wife Elizabeth, Josh Banks and wife Nicole, Jacob Banks and wife Jamie, Kyle Haymes and wife Kodi, and Reese Haymes and wife Meagan; twelve great grandchildren, McKenna and Caroline Cooper, Fisher and Grayson Grant, Berkley and Ben Banks, Hunter, Luke and Beau Banks, Jordan and Jentry Banks, and Hallie Haymes; and many loved family members and friends.
The family suggests memorials be to Amarillo Angels, 2200 4th Avenue #141, Canyon, TX 79015 or online at AmarilloAngels.org (please note in the message box that it is a memorial for Catherine Banks).