Thursday, April 25, 2024
Don was born in Kansas City, KS & raised in Ottawa, Kansas. He was his high schools football hero. He went to college to become a high school history teacher but instead joined the Air Force. He served his country for 21 years in Air Force Intelligence as a language expert. He also was an instructor for survival training during wartime. He worked all over the world during his distinguished career which spanned the Korean War to Viet Nam.
Don & his wife Donna were adventurous & traveled internationally and RVd all over the US. They moved to Granbury in 2006. He enjoyed the relaxed Texas lifestyle, Cowboy Church, old country music especially Johnny Cash, football, politics, 42 games, animals. Don volunteered to help children with lunches & Christmas, families in need, Veterans & animals. He was very intelligent, had a great sense of humor & a kind heart. He loved all his family & friends. Dawn & Jerry Partlow & Don & Donna became close soon after arriving in TX. The foursome made many years of memories & were together to the last day.
He is preceded in death by his parents Kathryn Rhine Snodgrass, Donald Rex Banker, daughter Bettina Banker, sister Dorothy Taylor, brother Ed Henley.
He is survived by his loving wife, Donna Banker; sons Andrew Banker & wife Regina Banker, Steve Staats & Lorell Miller; Daughters, Daniella Lamis & husband Tony Alles, Suzanne Buchanan & husband Patrick Buchanan, Donna Lee Loomis & husband Steve Dabney; Grandchildren Julia Lamis, Isabella Lamis, Camille Lamis, Braden Buchanan, Elise Buchanan, William Buchanan, Christina Hersh, Katrina Loomis, Kimberly Loomis, Joshua Loomis, Joyce Staats, Steven Staats, great grandchildren Colin, Cameron & Hailey; brothers Jerry Henley, Bob Henley; family of the heart Dawn & Jerry Partlow & their family who adopted Don & Donna when they arrived in Texas along with many other friends & family.
He was very loved & will always be missed.
Memorial donations: alz.org, donate, Donald Rex Banker tribute page.
Celebration of Life will be at Triple Cross Cowboy Church, 3470 N. Lipan Drive, Granbury, TX 76048 at 1 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2020.
Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA with full military honors.
