Bernice P Banks

Mrs. Banks passed away at the glorious age of 98 and gained her Heavenly wings on Friday, March 31, 2023, at the Delta Nursing and Rehab Center in Visalia, where she had been so lovingly cared for by the staff during her final years. Bernice was born on July 7, 1924, and raised in McNairy County, TN, the daughter of Frank and Myrtle Barber Plunk.

She was educated in that small community and her stunning beauty earned her the title of “Tomato Festival Queen” as a teenager. After graduating from Bethel Springs High School and attending Draughon Business College in Jackson, TN, Bernice set her sights on Washington, D.C., where she worked as a secretary at the Pentagon. It was during her time in our nation’s capital that this Tennessee gal caught the eye of a Navy sailor from Oklahoma. Bernice met John M. Banks in 1944 and after a brief courtship, they married and moved to Dinuba, CA. As a young wife, “Plunk”, as her husband lovingly called her, adapted to her new life and soon they would welcome a daughter, a beauty like her mother, named Darla Jean.

In California, Bernice was a housewife and mother, and she also worked as a secretary for a law firm. Johnny became a Church of Christ minister and they served churches in Dinuba, Fresno, and in San Diego, where they lived for more than 20 years. Although Bernice lived most of her adult life in CA, she never lost her love for McNairy County and her Southern roots. She and Johnny would travel home often to visit family, as well as traveling the world. Johnny was a pilot as well as a minister, so they would often hop a plane and take off on an adventure!! Bernice and Johnny later moved to Canton, GA, to be near Darla Jean. Her beloved husband died in 2007, and she lost their only daughter in 2011. Bernice then moved home to McNairy County, TN, for a short time before returning to Visalia for her remaining years.

Bernice was a longtime member of the Church of Christ. She was faithful to her Christian beliefs all her life and was known to find a church wherever she was on a Sunday to attend. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend who will be dearly missed, and her legacy will live on in the lives of all those who loved her.

Bernice was preceded in death by her husband, John M. Banks; her daughter, Darla Jean Schafer; her parents, Frank and Myrtle Plunk; her brothers, Leonard, Porter and Gerald; and her sisters, Helen Summers and Janis Paul.

Left to cherish her memory are her only granddaughter, Christina Kelly of Austin, TX; one sister, Barbara Plunk Robinson of Bethel Springs, TN; a multitude of nieces and nephews, and an abundance of great nieces and great nephews, who loved her dearly. Bernice will be remembered for her grace, her loving smile, her hearty laugh, her joyful singing, and her tender heart.

Funeral services to honor and remember Mrs. Bernice Plunk Banks will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 9:00 am at Miller Memorial Chapel in Visalia, CA, with a graveside service to follow. Joel Coppinger will be officiating the service. The viewing and visitation will be held on Friday, April 14, from 3:00 - 7:00 pm.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millerchapel.com for the Banks family.