Barney Eugene Bannister

Barney Eugene Bannister, 85, of Kirkland, WA, passed away on Saturday, April 22, 2017. He was born September 16, 1931 in Water Valley, Texas, the son of the late Barney R. and Robbie (Lewis) Bannister. He was a United States Army veteran, proudly serving with the 2nd Infantry Division in the Korean War, and later served two years with the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (The Thunderbird), a part of the Oklahoma Army National Guard. He was a member of the Bellevue V.F.W. Following his army service, and while attending Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, he met his future wife Diane Gabriel. They were married on July 26, 1958 in Grove, OK. After completing his studies at Spartan he worked for the FAA for several years as an aircraft mechanic in Oklahoma City and Ft. Worth, TX. In 1965 he went to work for the Bell Helicopter Co. in Ft. Worth as a Technical Representative and in 1966 was sent to Vietnam for a year as a civilian technical advisor. In 1968 he accepted a Field Service Tech Rep position with Bell in Seattle, WA where he spent the remainder of his 31-year career with them. Barney loved all things aviation and enjoyed traveling, visiting with colleagues and customers, fishing and tinkering. He is survived by his wife of 59 years; three sons: Steve Bannister and wife Jodi, Barry Bannister, Gene Bannister and wife Trina, and seven grandchildren: Troy, Kinsi, Taylor and Sophi; April and Billy; and Piper; three great-grandchildren, Omar, Zaniel and Liam; two sisters, Linda Sue Wallace and Betty Ann Aman, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Barney Derrald, his brother, Robert and his sister, Shirley Thorn.

A celebration of Barney's life will be held Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 1:00 pm, with military honors at Lifetime Celebrations by Washelli, 18224 103rd Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011.