Leonard Banes

Leonard Banes, known to his friends and family as Lenny, left us on August 18,2022. Born on January 14, 1930 in Chicago, IL, he attended college at the University of Cincinnati, where he met Lois Ungar working as camp counselors at a summer camp. They were married in 1954 and moved to Denver, Colorado to continue his education.

After receiving his Masters of Social Work from the University of Denver, Leonard and Lois returned to Cincinnati. Leonard was a director of Big Brothers of Cincinnati until 1967, at which time he was hired as the Executive Director of Family Counseling Agency of Tucson, and he moved his wife and young children across the country to the Sonoran Desert.

As the Director of FCA, Leonard imagined, created, and implemented many ways to help families and vulnerable populations. Along with his dedicated staff, he started Divorce Recovery, senior support and homeless youth programs, helped to bring the United Way to Southern Arizona, and counseled thousands of families, groups, and individuals. Family Counseling Agency went on to merge with Our Town Family Center to become Our Family Services. A generous donation was made in his honor in 2020 resulting in the naming of their new building on Alvernon becoming The Leonard Banes Campus.

After his retirement from the FCA in 1998, he went on to work for Las Familias, Counseling and Consulting Services, and as a court-appointed advocate for abused and exploited children. He also continued to teach for the ASU School of Social Work MSW program, to mentor MSW students and young professionals, and to serve on local boards for organizations supporting families and building community resilience. Throughout his career he served on the National Council on Accreditation and helped accredit many vital human service agencies across the country.

He is preceded in death by his sister Ruthe Banes Majestic and step-grandson Brandon Brown. He is survived by his children Marianne Banes McNamee and husband Gregory McNamee of Tucson, David H. Banes and wife Candilyn Banes of Santa Fe, and Susan L. Banes of Durango, CO, his grand-daughters Annie McGarry (Mitchell), Sarah Andrews (Ty), Step –grandsons Derryk Brown (Jennifer Sandoval), Fabian Copelin-Brown, James Graves Brown (Sarah), and his great-grandchildren Olivia, Roarke, Avery, Sophia, and Brandyn.

Leonard Banes was a brilliant, patient, and kind man who was generous with his gifts. He dedicated his life and work to helping those around him, and many thousands more, feel safer and happier. May he be a shining light of example for all of us, and may his memory be a blessing.

Donations in his honor should be made to Our Family Services 2590 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712 or to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona 635 W. Roger Road, Tucson, Arizona 85705.