John Henry Banks Sr.

John Henry Banks, Sr.

Mr. John Henry Banks, Sr., 86, died Tuesday, January 19, 2016.

A graveside service will be conducted Thursday at 11 am in Pinewood Memorial Park.

Mr. Banks, a native of Burnsville, NC, was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served in the Korean War. In 1952, he made his home in Greenville and had lived in the Black Jack community for the past 40 years. He retired from the North Carolina Department of Transportation as Division Supervisor for Right-of-Way after 30 years of service. Mr. Banks was an original member of the NC Bear Hunters Association. He was instrumental in getting the legislation for the Plott to be named the North Carolina State Dog, and was nationally known as a Plott Hound breeder. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge #734 AF & AM.

He is survived by his: wife of 65 years, Christine McGowan Banks; daughter, Melva Banks Gray, of Black Jack; son, John H. Banks, Jr. and wife, Susan, of Greenville; grandchildren, Dan Wilson and wife, Aileen, Steve Wilson, Whitney Banks Bailey and husband, Blake, and John Henry "Trey" Banks, III; great-granddaughters, Mila Wilson and Beckett Bailey; sisters, Mable Sumner, Jean Sampson and husband, Charles, all of Knoxville, TN; nieces, Myrna Sumner and Tracy Duncan; and nephews, Bobby and Billy Sampson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2418 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 206, Raleigh, NC 27607 or to the Leo Jenkins Cancer Center, Brody School of Medicine at ECU, 525 Moye Blvd., Greenville, NC 27834.

Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com. As published in The Daily Reflector