LaVerne Jane Banks

Laverne Jane Banks, 91, Grand Prairie, passed into everlasting glory on June 11, 2015. LaVerne was born on January 17, 1924 to George Morrow and Florence Seibt in Chicago, Illinois on a 20 degrees below zero night. She had a wonderful childhood, growing up as an only child with adoring parents. She graduated from Taft High School in Chicago in 1941.LaVerne met her true love, Charles Blair Banks, while a senior in high school, and they married on May 20, 1942. Charles was drafted in November 1942, and spent the next 2+ years in the Army Air Corp as a Radio Operator, most of the time spent in England, France, Germany, and Belgium. They had three wonderful children: Judith Diane, Dawn Linda, and David Blair. Charles passed away on July 1, 2003.LaVerne was involved with her children’s activities and PTA, and worked at a number of part-time jobs while the children were growing up. She and Charles (and Dave) moved from Chicago to Detroit to Tyler TX to Detroit to Grand Prairie TX. In Detroit, she got into banking as a teller, and was a teller in Tyler too. When they moved back to Detroit, she worked in mortgage banking and continued in mortgage banking when they moved to Grand Prairie. She retired from Republic Bank (now Bank of America) in January 1989, as an Assistant Vice President of the Mortgage Corporation.LaVerne loved every minute of retirement, doing all the things she didn’t have time to do before: spend more time with her family, play chicken-foot-dominoes with 12 dear long-term friends every Wednesday morning, work on needlepoint projects, read, see movies, travel, and enjoy life. LaVerne was a member of Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church for 12 year, and was active in the handbell choir for many years. She was proud to be a “cradle Lutheran”, and was active in Lutheran churches her whole life.The most important thing to LaVerne was her family. She wanted them to remember how much she loved each of them, along with her many friends.She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Blair Banks; her parents, George Morrow and Florence Seibt; and her grandson, Matthew Blair Banks. Survivors include: her children: Judith Diane Sallberg and husband Larry; Dawn Banks Kurtz and husband John; David Blair Banks and wife Rhonda; grandchildren: Sherry Kay Torres and husband Fred; Valerie Gail Cranden and husband Joe; Stephanie Marie Carrillo and husband Johnny; Jennifer Lynn Banks; and step-grandchildren: Ben Simmons; and Amber Schlaht and husband Ben; great-grandchildren: Lynnlea Blair Banks, Kane Matthew Carrillo, Kayla Diane Cranden, Kyle Joseph Cranden, Grace Jane Torres, Faith Marie Carrillo, Samantha Torres; step-great-grandchild: Declin Mark Simmons.Visitation/viewing at Moore Funeral Home in Arlington on Tuesday, June 16, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church in Arlington on Wednesday, June 17 at 2:00 p.m.