Brian Leon Banashak

Brian Leon Banashak, born August 29, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, was a godly man who served the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He dearly loved his wife, Kathy Louise Moore, whom he met on a blind date on March 29, 1964, when they were both seventeen years old. Brian had been interested in becoming a Catholic priest and went to seminary before he changed his mind, realizing he wanted to get married and have a family someday.

It was love at first sight. Brian and Kathy were engaged a year later and married on November 27, 1965. They couldn’t afford a honeymoon trip at the time, but they made up for it with special anniversary trips every year.

Brian went to the American Academy of Art for a year in downtown Chicago, and his career as a graphic artist began.

His desire to become a father was soon realized when their son, Jeffrey Leon, was born a year after they married. Two years later, daughter Jennifer Lynn was born. This was the year Brian and Kathy dedicated their lives to the Lord. Three years later, Joy Lenore was born to complete the family.

In 1975, Brian moved his young family to Dallas, Texas, where he eventually became a church elder/pastor and founded a 12-grade Christian school. Ten years later, his talent for graphic arts took him to Mobile, Alabama, where he became the Art Director for a Christian ministry that sent monthly magazines to people all over the world. Kathy also worked for the same ministry.

After much prayer, Brian and Kathy decided to open their own advertising agency in 1987. They continued to help the ministries they were already working with, and not long after, launched their Christian publishing firm, Evergreen Press. Brian handled the book cover designs and marketing, while Kathy managed the editing and office administration. It truly was a family business, at times providing jobs for their children, sons-in-law, and a few of the grandchildren.

Their publishing firm underwent a few name changes over the years, and one of the final names, The Book Experts, was the best description of who they were. They published nearly 1000 books in a myriad of categories: Christian growth, finance, marriage, parenting, worship, prayer, fiction, and more. Brian wrote and published three books of his own, including The Little Book of Business Wisdom, which became a bestseller and was translated into three languages.

Brian had a passion for excellence in everything he did, an endless supply of ideas, and detailed plans of how to accomplish them. He was a wise, compassionate, creative, fun-loving, generous man of integrity and courage who wanted to see others prosper in their relationship with the Lord and help them share their insights and testimonies. He continued his work up to the day he went to be with the Lord on July 10, 2025.

Brian is survived by his wife, Kathy Banashak, his son Jeff Banashak (Rosa), his daughter Jennifer Dierking (Kerry), his brother Galen Thomas Banashak (Carol), his grandchildren, Christopher Leon Banashak, Stephanie Joy Toomey (Sean), Michael Joseph Martin, Timothy Thomas Martin, John Paul Francis Martin, Therese Marie Martin, Gianna Bernadette Martin, Mariana Rose Martin, Joseph Andre Martin, Casey Lee Dierking (Elizabeth), Maxwell Lawrence Dierking (Sarah), Grant Landon Dierking (Madyson), and great-grandchildren, Evelyn Sou Dierking and Harvest Marie Dierking.

Brian is preceded in death by his daughter, Joy Martin, his mother, Marie Barbara Lasek, his father, Leon Ladislas Banashak, and his brothers, Mitchell Timothy Banashak and James Anthony Banashak.

Brian will never be forgotten, and his legacy lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and countless others.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on September 21st at 2pm at Ascension Funeral Home, 1016 Hillcrest Rd Mobile, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Brian’s name to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.