STERLING - John W. "Bill" Banks, 78, of Sterling and formerly of Morrison died Wednesday, June 13, 2007, in C.G.H. Medical Center in Sterling. Born Aug. 14, 1928, in Gothenburg, Neb., the son of David E. and Minnie V. (Moore) Banks. Graduate of the Farnam High School, Farnam, Neb. Married Barbara L. Alber Dec. 17, 1953, Sterling. Veteran of the U.S. Army serving in the Korean War. First employed by Northwestern Steel & Wire Company and then by R B & W in Rock Falls. He then worked as custodian at the Morrison Southside Grade School and raised registered Angus cattle in rural Morrison. Most recently he was employed by the United States Postal Service at the Morrison Post Office retiring in 1991. Member of First Church of the Nazarene, American Legion, Morrison Post # 328 and Morrison VFW Post # 8281. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; daughter, Bethany (Dr. John) Lorenz, Evansville, Ind.; sons, Michael (Kathy) Banks, Sterling and Jason (Lori) Banks, Garden Prairie; grandchildren, Tracy (Mrs. Ian) Geiger, Gregory Banks, Chelsey Banks and Paul Joseph Lorenz; sister, Mrs. Phyllis Thornton, Clarion, Iowa. Predeceased by parents; and sister, Donna Bottita. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 16, in First Church of the Nazarene, 411 13th Ave., Sterling, with visitation from 1 p.m. to time of service. The Rev. Robert J. Hasselbring, pastor of First Church of the Nazarene, will officiate. Additional visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 15, in Morrison Chapel, Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home. Interment in Riverside Cemetery, with graveside military rites. Memorials may be sent to Wounded Knee Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee, S.D.

Rockford Register Star, Rockford, IL, 15 Jun 2007