Philip Horace Bankston

Philip Horace Bankston, 73 of Waller, Texas passed away on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at HCA Houston Healthcare North in Cypress.

A gathering of family and friends will be held Wednesday, January 13, 2021, from 12:30 to 1:30 at the Houston Oaks Gun Club, 23303 Hegar Road, in Hockley.  A celebration of Phil’s life will follow at 1:30 pm with Ken White, Kathy’s brother, officiating. Graveside services and interment will immediately follow in Magnolia Cemetery, in Magnolia.  Out of respect for Phil and the family, masks are required and social distancing encouraged.

Serving as pallbearers will be Mike Bankston, Tom Dolan, Shane Spiller, Andy Bankston, Bryan Edmonds, and Ben Bankston.

Phil was born on August 27, 1947 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston to Garland Leroy and Afton Lois Bufkin Bankston. Phil attended elementary and junior high in southeast Houston. The family moved to Magnolia where Phil attended high school and played varsity football. He graduated from Magnolia High School in 1965. He then attended East Texas State University before joining the Houston Police Department at the age of 20. Phil was a 3rd generation Houston Police Officer and wore his dad’s badge number, 806. During his tenure with HPD he was assigned to the Traffic Enforcement, Narcotics, Central, and Training Divisions. After 23 years of service, Phil retired from the Houston Police Department on January 4, 1989. Phil continued with the security field in executive protections, private investigation, personal security, and workers comp fraud. Phil married his wife Kathy White Bankston on June 18, 1994 in Houston. On September 24, 1998 Benjamin was born and joined his three older siblings, Andy, Brandi, and Kelsey. After retiring for the third time, Phil became a member of Houston Oaks and eventually became the Director of Security and Gun Club.

Phil was preceded in death by parents Garland Leroy Bankston and Afton Lois Bankston, and nephew Domenic “Nick” Michael Bankston.

Phil is survived by his wife Kathy White Bankston; Children Philip Andrew Bankston and wife Erica, Brandi Linn Spiller and husband Shane, Kelsey Ann Edmonds and husband Bryan, and Benjamin Brice Bankston; grandchildren Philip Austin Bankston (15), Branson Dave Spiller (10), Harper Grace Spiller (7), Leo Philip Edmonds (3), Taylor Mae Bankston (3), and Ella Jean Edmonds (6 months); Siblings Michael Bankston and wife MaryAnn, Candace Free and husband Donny and Cynthia Bankston along with many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, great-great- nieces and nephews and a great number of friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Phil’s name can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Rd., STE 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256 [email protected].American Nurses Foundation, PO Box 504342,Saint Louis, MO 63150-4342, https://ebiz.nursingworld.org/anfdonation?_ga=2.142296373.666178667.1610302898-1868595100.1610302898 or the Houston Police Foundation, PO Box 346, Houston, Texas 77001-0346, athttps://hpfsite.worldsecuresystems.com/done.

The family would like to thank the nursing staff at HCA Healthcare North Cypress Hospital for their effort and loved poured over our Phil while he was there. Also, a special thanks to HPD for their support and assistance with Phil’s service. And to his 5th child, Houston Oaks, a place that will forever be Phil’s second home, thank you for providing this beautiful location for us to honor him.