Martin Joseph "Mike" Bannon III

1947 - 2024

BANNON, Martin (Mike) Joseph III, passed away suddenly on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at VCU Medical Center. The first son of Martin Joseph, Jr. and Doris Bannon, Mike was born in Norfolk, VA, in 1947 and lived the majority of his life in Richmond, VA.

Mike was the Managing Director and Branch Manager with Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. for the Richmond and Virginia Beach branches. He began his investment career with E. F. Hutton & Co. more than 40 years ago. He recruited and mentored brokers throughout his career. Mike advised hundreds, if not thousands, of investors whom he proudly helped attain their investment milestones and financial goals. Throughout his career, he served on various industry Boards, was Finance Chairman of St. Benedict Church, and the proud championship basketball coach for the St. Benedict boys and girls basketball teams.

Mike graduated from Benedictine High School in 1966 where he starred on one of famed Coach Warren Rutledge's great teams. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1971 from the School of Business. He was an avid Hokie fan and a lifelong DEKE (Delta Kappa Epsilon).

Mike was predeceased by his parents, Doris H. Bannon, who died in 1992, and his father, Martin J. Bannon, Jr., who had reached his 100th milestone before his death in 2022.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Lori, and his children, Sarah B. Barlup (Matt), Los Angeles, CA; Kathryn B. Nebera (Ryan), Richmond, VA; Cary B. Williamson (Josh), Richmond, VA; and Michael R. Bannon, Richmond, VA, and six grandchildren, Joey and Charlie Barlup, Lucy and Lyla Nebera, and J.P. and Jackson Williamson. Also surviving him are his siblings, Sharon B. Rosenstock, Stephen K. Bannon, Christopher T. Bannon, and Mary Beth Meredith along with dozens of nieces and nephews on both sides of his family whom he truly loved and enjoyed watching their children grow.

Mike was known around town as a premier amateur golfer and was a former club champion at Willow Oaks Country Club. He made every room he entered better and certainly more fun and we will miss that most of all. He will be remembered for his many hours spent coaching the Hokies from his recliner and telling and retelling tales (some may have been tall, but none were short). People may not know that as a teenage boy, Mike was the hand model for David Silvette's portrait of Thomas Jefferson, "Young Jefferson."

Mike was a generous, kind hearted, and outgoing man who loved his family, friends, town, and schools. He will be missed.

Special thanks to VCU Emergency Department and the Medical Intensive Care Unit for their compassion, knowledge, and kindness during his brief illness. Also, a special thanks to Valeria Thomas RN and Leah Hurst NP (sister-in-law and niece, respectively), for their guidance and patience during these troubling times.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 19, 2024 at Bliley's –Central, 3801 Augusta Ave. with a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 300 N. Sheppard St., Richmond, VA 23221. Interment will follow at Hollywood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Benedict Church.