JEANNETTE (MICHAEL) BANKS

JEANNETTE MICHAEL BANKS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS GEN,  BY HER HUSBAND AND CLOSE FAMILY IN ANTIGUA (THE MOTHER OF SEAN A BANKS, OWNER OF SEAN A BANKS MORTUARY).

MRS. BANKS WAS BORN ON THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF ST. JOHN ANTIGUA, WEST INDIES, TO THE PARENTS OF EARL MICHAEL AND MILDRED HAMILTON, ON JULY 17, 1943. SHE WAS AN ANGLICAN CATHOLIC FAITHFULLY WORSHIPPING AT THE ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL, IN ANTIGUA, FOR MANY YEARS. SHE WAS EDUCATED THROUGH THE PUBLIC GRAMMAR AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ON THE ISLAND.  AS A YOUNG GIRL, SHE WAS SELECTED TO SING FOR THE YOUNG QUEEN OF ENGLAND, QUEEN ELIZABETH II, AVA MARIA. SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND TALENTED THAT AS A YOUNG LADY SHE CAPTURED THE TITLE OF MISS. ANTIGUA, BRITISH WEST INDIES. SHE WAS ALSO THE NEICE OF GEORGE WALTERS, THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, SERVING HIS TERM FROM 1971-1976. 

JEANNETTE MICHAEL WORKED AT THE ANTIGUA BEACH HOTEL AND EVENTUALLY CAUGHT THE EYE OF A MILITARY CONTRACTOR FOR RCA, A FORMER AMERICAN SOLDIER, WORKING THERE ON THE ISLAND, BY THE NAME OF WILLIAM "BILL" BANKS. BILL DATED HER AND EVENTUALLY ASKED HER MOTHER AND STEP-FATHER, MILDRED AND PETER PARKER, FOR THEIR PERMISSION TO MARRY THEIR DAUGHTER. SHE ACCEPTED AND SHE BECAME MRS. JEANNETTE BANKS ON JULY 28, 1966.  AFTER SOME COAXING, BILL CONVINCED HER TO LIVE WITH HIS FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES. SO SHE PACKED UP AND HEADED TO STAY IN BROOKLYN WITH BILL'S SISTER, PHENIA VEASY.  SHE DIDN'T REALLY CARE FOR BROOKLYN AND THE FAST PACE LIFE. SO, SHE THEN MOVED TO LAKELAND, FLORIDA AND STAYED WITH HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, DELILAH BANKS, UNITL BILL WOULD EVENTUALLY JOIN HER IN THE UNITED STATES, AFTER FINISHING HIS ASSIGNMENT ON THE ISLAND. 

JEANNETTE WAS ALWAYS A HARD WORKER. SHE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WITH THEIR THREE KIDS (ALONZO, AVERY AND SEAN) AT THAT TIME AND REFUSED WELFARE OR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT. SHE WAS TOO PROUD TO TAKE HANDOUTS FROM ANYONE. SO SHE WORKED TWO JOBS TO MAKE SURE THAT HER KIDS WOULD HAVE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING. 

THEN CAME THE GRANDCHILDREN; DRU, KYANA, NADDIA, MEGAN, MARIAH AND ALLIYAH THAT SHE LOVED AND ADORED.. AFTER THE PASSING OF THEIR SON, AVERY IN 1999, MR. AND MRS. BANKS TOOK ON THE RESPONSIBILTY OF REARING HIS CHILDREN, DRU, NADDIA AND MEGAN.  A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, THEIR SON ALONZO'S DAUGHTER, MARIAH, CAME TO LIVE WITH THEM. SHE AND HER HUSBAND REARED THE GIRLS, AS FOUR SISTERS NOT THREE SISTERS AND A COUSIN.  

THEIR FIRST GREAT- GRANDCHILD, SERENITE, WAS BORN IN 2017. SERENITE,  MRS. BANKS LOVE FOR CHILDREN CONTINUED, AS DRU BROUGHT HER FIANCE'S CHILD, PATRICK, INTO THE BANKS FOLD.  MRS. BANKS DIDN'T PLAY ABOUT THESE GRANDCHILDREN. NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEM UNLESS SHE UNLEASHED HER WRATH ON YOU. SHE WAS KNOWN FOR GENEROSITY. SHE WOULD OFTEN TIMES WOULD GO WITHOUT TO MAKE SURE HER FAMILY HAD WHATEVER THEY NEEDED. 

THE LORD ALLOWED HER TO CELEBRATE HER LAST BIRTHDAY, JULY 17, 2019.

ON JULY 28, 2019, MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM A. BANKS CELEBRATED THEIR 53RD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. 

ON AUGUST 2, 2019, MRS. JEANNETTE HAD A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN HER INJURIES. DOCTORS REMARKED THAT IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT SHE SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT.  THE LORD GAVE HER AN OPPURTUNITY TO STILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK, EAT, LAUGH, DO HER PHYSICAL THERAPY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT.  ON AUGUST 7TH, 2019, 1:47 PM.  HER HUSBAND AND SON, SEAN, WAS ABLE TO WITNESS HER REPEATING THE SINNER'S PRAYER AND TAKING COMMUNION TO REDEDICATE HER LIFE BACK TO CHRIST.  

ON AUGUST 29, 2019, 10:50 PM, THE LORD DISPATCHED HIS ANGELS BY HER BEDSIDE AND SHE ANSWERED THE MASTER'S CALL.

SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER: SON, AVERY; GRANDDAUGHTER, NADDIA; MOTHER, MILDRED PARKER, STEP-FATHER, PETER "TEACHER" PARKER; FATHER, EARL MICHAEL; BROTHER, CONWAY "SONNY" LINDSAY.

SHE LEAVES TO CHERISH ALL OF HER BEAUTIFUL AND PRECIOUS MEMORIES; HER HUSBAND, WILLIAM BANKS OF LAKELAND, SONS, ALONZO BANKS OF LAKELAND, AND SEAN BANKS OF ORLANDO; GRANDCHILDREN, DRU BANKS OF WINTER HAVEN, MEGAN AND MARIAH BANKS, TAVION COX, AND ALIYAH VAUGHAN OF LAKELAND AND KYANA BANKS OF BALTIMORE; GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, SERENITE BANKS OF LAKELAND AND PATRICK HORNE OF WINTER HAVEN; SISTERS, LORNA JOSEPH AND CYNTHIA SHOY OF CANADA; BROTHER, DALMAR PARKER OF ANTIGUA; BROTHER IN LAW, EARL C. BANKS; AND MANY SPECIAL NEICES, NEPHEWS, AND COUSINS.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of JEANNETTE (MICHAEL) BANKS, please visit our floral store.