Martha Banks King

Martha Belle Banks was

born January 30, 1900 in

the family home built by

her grandfather on New

Hope Road, Franklin

County (now Stephens

County), Georgia. She

died in Bradenton, Mana-

tee County, Florida, Janu-

ary 8, 1985, and is buried

in the family plot in Mana-

sota Cemetery, Oneco,

Florida. She graduated

from Cannon’s Academy

near her home, then

graduated from Georgia

State Normal School in

Athens before beginning

her teaching career in

Banks County, Georgia in

1920. There she met and

married Bartow England

King, who had recently

returned from Army duty

in France during WWI.

Their first child, Mary

Lou, was born in Mt. Airy,

Habersham County, Geor-

gia in 1922. The family

moved to Manatee

County, Florida in 1924.

Martha had a distin-

guished career in teaching

and community service in

Manatee County. She

served as classroom

teacher in five schools and

principal in two. She was

elected to membership in

Delta Kappa Gamma,

honorary society for out-

s t a n d i n g

teachers, and

also served as

i ts state

p r e s i d e n t .

She was char-

ter member

and president

of Manatee

County Busi-

ness and Pro-

f e s s i o n a l

Women’s As-

s o c i a t i o n .

T h ro u gh ou t

WWII, she

served as

president of

M a n a t e e

County Chap-

ter of the

American Red

Cross. At that

time, there was no paid staff,

so it was her responsibility to

manage disaster relief dur-

ing hurricanes, to communi-

cate between service men

and their families, to conduct

fun-raising and other func-

tions of Red Cross. For this,

she received a citation from

President Truman. She

served on and was secretary

of the committee that estab-

lished Manatee Veterans’

Memorial Hospital, the first

modern hospital in the area.

She was a member of the

Manatee County Fair Board,

Eastern Star, DAR, Ameri-

can Legion Auxiliary, and

served as state president of

Legion Auxiliary.

During the summers of 1937

through 1940, she enrolled in

Florida Southern College,

Lakeland, Florida, where she

graduated in 1940.

She served her God and the

First Methodist Church well

as Sunday School Teacher,

Superintendent of Elemen-

tary Sunday School, Chair-

man of Commission on Edu-

cation and president of

Susanna Wesley Service

Guild. After her retirement

from teaching, she organized

retired teachers to teach ba-

sic skills (reading, math, etc.)

to inmates of the county jail,

many of whom were illiter-

ate. In 1979, she received the

great honor of having the

beautiful new MARTHA B.

Inside this issue:

Cemetery Clean-up

On Hallowed Ground

p.2

In Memoriam

Russell Marion Banks, Jr. P.3

Rev. Rebecca Dixon

receives award for excellence

P.3

July wedding for

Seth Byrum and fiancée, Brandi Skipper

P.3

Matthew Banbury

to study in Tokyo P.3

Diane & David Leonard

Reunion photos!

P.3

P.4

BANKS Winter-Spring ISSUE

2006

Celebrating a Humanitarian — Martha Banks King Martha Banks King

K I N G M I D D L E

SCHOOL named in her

honor in recognition of

her many contributions

for the betterment of her

community. Recently, the

existing campus of more

than 113,000 square feet

was demolished to make

room for the brand new

facility on 17 acres.

Just this month, Bob and

Susan King attended a

fundraiser for the new

media center. Bob says

the construction looks

great, and should be

ready for occupancy this

June!

Martha Belle (King)

and sister,

Alice (Terrell) Banks.

.)

ON HALLOWED GROUND ON HALLOWED GROUND ON HALLOWED GROUND Donna Dodd

The old gate grunts when opening, as if awakened from a long, deep sleep. The ground is hard, the rocks

damp and covered with moss – some brown and dying, some new, bright green growth standing tall,

reaching for the sun.

Shovels, picks and rakes lean against the fence like an arsenal of rifles in a John Wayne movie. One by

one, we each retrieve our weapon of choice – or either our choice of the least-favorite ones left behind.

Gloves are donned, and the smell of gasoline chokes freely from the weed eater. Interestingly, for a mo-

ment, it seems somewhat impolite to be invading the natural habitat of insects and plant-life feeding on

our family’s sacred ground. I even question myself - to whom does this belong?

There are times — many times during this day — that we pause to honor a headstone or discuss a type of

foliage. And, Thomas Dixon often takes us back in time - reflecting some of the colorful family stories

he’s heard since a child.

The thrill of reuniting with relatives seems to overshadow everything else. Then, just like a roller-coaster

slowing down to a crawl, the excitement begins to calm. I finally catch my breath, double-checking to

make sure no one is aware of my special request . . . And I ask God to let me feel my Daddy.

A gentle warmth comes over me, and I am profoundly aware of Daddy, of Uncle Verner, of Tom Banks

and other loved ones who, too, had stood right here, wiped their brows after a long day’s work – and who

perhaps even sat on the same logs to share a bite to eat.

Each year, our loved ones make the journey. Some do not return; and just as before, younger, smoother

hands reach out to toil the same earth.

They, too, will no-doubt agree, ―it is an extraordinary experience!‖

As far back as I can remember, cemetery cleanup was the yearly ritual that took place the day before

Sunday’s Family Reunion of our Thomas Marion Banks descendents. Daddy was so proud when our

brother, Billy began joining in the ceremonious rite. If I ever went along with Daddy, I don’t remem-

ber it – but I always wondered why Daddy seemed so blessed by the experience. Diane and I have

taken part in the cemetery cleanup for the past two years. Now, we understand.

Winter-Spring, 2006 Page 2

Inside Story Headline

.

thority to develop Wilmington’s

first housing program for homeless

victims of domestic violence.

She is a chaplain associate for New

Hanover Regional Medical Center,

serving as chair of the Professional

Consultation Committee for the

Clinical Pastoral Education Program

at the hospital, and is liturgical as-

sistant on the staff of Church of the

Servant (Episcopal). Rev. Dixon,

who was ordained to the Gospel

Ministry by the First Baptist church

of Lavonia, is a graduate of Truett-

McConnell College in Cleveland,

University of Georgia at Athens,

Southern Baptist Theological Semi-

nary in Louisville, KY, and Virginia

Theological Seminary in Alexan-

dria, Virginia.

She is the daughter of

Thomas and Ginger Dixon of

Lavonia.

December 14, 2005— Article from

the Anderson Independent

Aunt Viola

Seth Byrum, youngest son of Bruce

and Jane Byrum, graduated from

Texas A&M University on 16 De-

cember and was commissioned a

Second Lieutenant in the

U.S. Marine Corps. He began USMC

training in Quantico, Virginia on 5

January. Seth is engaged to Ms.

Brandi Skipper from Waxahatchie,

Texas and they are planning on a

July wedding.

Uncle John

Matthew Banbury, a sophomore

at UNC-Charlotte, will fly to Japan

in March to begin a year of studies at

the University of Tokyo. In addition

to his own studies, he will teach a

class in English to Japanese stu-

dents. Sayonara Matthew.

Aunt Bertie

Dixon receives award for

excellence . . .

The Rev. Rebecca Dixon, a 1978

graduate of Franklin County High

School, was the recipient of the

2005 Sandra Wells Peterson Profes-

sional Advocate Award for Excel-

lence from the North Carolina Inter-

agency Council for Homeless

Programs. Mayor Spence Broad-

hurst of Wilmington, N.C., com-

mended her for ―a 15-year track

record as a spokesperson for home-

less families, individuals, and her

work and leadership with Tri-

County Homeless Interagency

Council since its inception in 1992.

Because of her efforts, the council

and its grant writing process is con-

sidered by the U.S. Department of

Housing and Urban Development to

be a model for other jurisdictions.

As a mentor, she has helped agen-

cies such as Coastal Horizons and

first Fruit Ministries become valu-

able, sustained organizations. After

serving as Executive Director for

Good Shepherd Ministries in the

early 90’s, she worked with Volun-

teers of America of the Carolinas

and the Wilmington Housing Au-

Winter-Spring, 2006 Page 3

Rev. Rebecca Dixon

Every year our reunions bring me closer to our roots and I gain a little more insight and love for our particular ―branch.‖ I espe-

cially love hearing what David (hubby) observes and brings home to share. Here are some of our personal thoughts and memories

of

October 2005:

Our generation has a ―Tom Banks!‖ Tom and Peggy’s son Chris is like a shining light. He seems to be the perfect combi-

nation of his mother and daddy – funny, outgoing, game for anything, and personable, kind, and engaging.

Lanny and Sandy’s grandson Brendon. David thought he was the perfect picture of a little boy, as evidenced by the number

of pictures he took of him in action – running so hard that his hair was sticking straight up – that big smile, and his face full of

freckles. He appears to have stepped right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Rusty and Karen’s son, Chris. David noticed how much of a gentleman he was when Colleen arrived. He was the first one

over to help her out of the car and insisted on carrying her dishes of food. He was so kind, polite, and respectful. Obviously

raised right – and now has a wonderful family of his own.

Elaine and Charles’ granddaughter - La’el. Her wings just keep showing!! What can you say?

Cousin Eddie. I loved telling him about my memories of his sisters, Linda, Karen and Judy. Every time we went to see them,

we would beg them to play the piano and sing something, which they so graciously did. My favorite was ―Two Little Chil-

dren,‖ and I can hear them right now – Linda on piano and Karen and Judy singing. I remember the emphasis Judy always put

on the phrase ―the little girl’s feet were as BROWN AS the curls…‖ Mama Banks had a picture in her living room of an angel

watching over a little boy and girl as they walked across a broken bridge. I always thought that song was about them. ■

In Memoriam

Russell Marion Banks, Jr., died

Tuesday, January 10, 2006. A

Wake was held Friday evening,

followed by the Funeral Mass at

St. Francis Xavier Church, Satur-

day, in Birmingham, Alabama..

Our condolences to Margaret and

her family. Although Russell was

ill, and could not make the trip in

October, we were so blessed to

have had Margaret at our 2005

Banks reunion.

Banks News/Announcements

David and Diane (Banks) Leonard

I’d like to thank all who contributed to this edition! Our next newsletter is scheduled for publication

in July. We welcome your news, announcements, recipes, stories, and story ideas! For anyone want-

ing personal copies of our special presentation—Banks video, I will have copies available at the

2006 October reunion—Also, welcome back Shelley Anderson!! Cousin Donna

You may send your SCOOP to me, Donna Dodd at:

134 N. Lakeside Drive

Kennesaw, GA 30144

Or you may email me at donnabdodd@yahoo.com, or contact me by phone - 770-421-1122

Got Some Banks

Scoop??

Winter-Spring, 2006 Page 4