Joan Gephart Banks

Joan G. Banks, 94, of Malvern, died September 29, 2025.

The daughter of William Leonard and Violet Rogers Gephart, she was born in 1930 at Brownwood, Texas.

A member of First United Methodist Church, she enjoyed serving in the United Methodist Women's circles.

Primarily a homemaker, she devoted her life to her family.

She graduated from Malvern High School and attended Henderson State Teachers' College where she met Miley Banks at a college dance. They married in 1951, journeyed throughout the West and settled there to work for many years.

Later, they returned to Malvern and owned Banks Esso and Banks DX service stations.

She was blessed to be part of an extended family. She is predeceased by her husband, brother Leonard Roger Gephart, granddaughter Stacy Harbour Burbank and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law whom she cared for deeply.

Survivors include her brother Charles Dale Gephart, of Hernando, MS, and sister Laura Gephart Adams, of Atlanta, daughters Alison Harbour (Mike), and Vicki Carter (Doug), of Malvern, grandchildren Amy Bozeman (Darrell), Jason Jester, Jeremy Tull, Jesse Carter, and Michael Harbour (Constance), great-grandchildren Hunter Lawrence (Bri), Spencer Lawrence (Kendall) and Bailee Bozeman, Julian Tull, Clayton Harbor (Allison), Isabella Harbour, Sydney Cullum (Jordan), Madelyn Bullard, great-great grandson Myles Wade Lawrence, and numerous nieces and nephews who were so precious to her.

An art enthusiast, Joan loved drawing, painting, sewing, weaving, writing poetry and upholstery. She also enjoyed many styles of dance and music, especially jazz and opera.

Special thanks to her Baptist Health team of Dr. R Kazakevicius, Dr. H. Mitchell, Christina Bakle, Teresa Brazil, Marilyn Reed, Mary Wyatt and Sharon Massey-Tate.

A memorial gathering will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 at 127 Kight Road.