Mr. Llyod M. Banks

Lloyd Merrill (Beanie) Banks, a long time resident of Wayne and Appanoose Counties, passed away January 29, 2010 at the Seymour Community Care Center in Seymour, Iowa. Lloyd was born to Joseph (Joe) and Edith (Salladay) Banks, on May 14, 1911 near Centerville, Iowa. His siblings were Henry, Marie, Irene, and Evelyn Banks. The family moved to the Cincinnati, Iowa, vicinity and Lloyd attended Cincinnati High School, graduating in 1931. During his high school years Lloyd was nicknamed Beanie. Beanie Banks stuck with him his entire lifetime following his high school years. He always denied knowing how the nickname was coined. Beanie attended his 75th class reunion as the last surviving class member and he always enjoyed the CHS Alumni Banquets. He farmed and worked winters in the coalmines, along with his father, Joe, in the Centerville, Sunshine, Streepyville, and Numa area mines. He met his wife, Edna Adamson, and they were married in August 28, 1935, and set up housekeeping near Cincinnati. They lived and farmed several farms in Appanoose County during the Great Depression years. During those years he did custom farming that included a thrashing crew and steam engines. He had a natural knowledge of machinery and often told about the gasoline engines mounted on a frame with wheels called Doodlebugs, as tractors and trucks were not available during those times. In 1941, they bought a farm in Wayne County, near Seymour and lived there until retirement in 1975. During those years they increased the size of their farm considerably and continued to do custom farming. He sold ACCO seed corn and Madison Silos. He served many years on the Board of Directors of Federal Land Bank and was instrumental in seeing that many young farmers in the area were able to obtain loans to purchase farms. Lloyd was on the steering committee on the reorganization of the Seymour Community School as it reorganized in 1958 and served on the Research and Development of the Rathbun Lake project in it’s beginning through completion. He and Edna were members of the Walnut Monroe Community Club and longtime Wayne County Farm Bureau members. Although he really never retired, Lloyd and Edna moved to Sewal and then to the Corydon area. When the Amish began coming into his former neighborhood, he offered his help and knowledge of the area. He enjoyed the Amish community and was a dependable driver for many years. Lloyd and Edna were loving parents to son, Gary (Sandy) Banks of Seymour and daughter, Sherry (Richard) Johnson of Naples, FL. Wonderful grandparents to Martin (Tanya) Hall, Lisa (Rich) Carter, Marla (Steve) Wiedenmann, Beth (Tony) Mannella, and Justin (Kristie) Banks; 13 great-grandchildren: Colby and Chloe Hall; Sarah and Samantha Carter; Zachary and Luke Wiedenmann; Patrick and Miranda Mannella; Tyler, Jonathan, Nicholas, Joshua and Alyssa Banks: 2 great-great granddaughters: Laudia Carter and Piper Jones. Edna, his wife of 74 years passed away November 18, 2009, only three months prior to Lloyd. Others proceeding him in death were his parents, brother, Henry, infant daughter, Patricia Caryl, sisters and brother-in-laws, Marie and Dr. Frank Elledge, Irene and Wilbur Cloyed, and Corwin Johnson, great-grandson, Seth Carter, and a niece, Beverly Montgomery, just one week ago. Surviving is his sister, Evelyn Johnson of Austin, TX, sister-in-laws, Cleo Scherer, Ottumwa, IA and Mildred Adamson, Centerville, IA, and brother-in-law, Charles (Wanda) Adamson, Indianola, IA. and many nieces and nephews.