Banker, Russell (Rusty)

A memorial service to mark the life of Russell (Rusty) Banker will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church on Saturday, April 9, at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Mel Schlachter will officiate. Ladies, hats will be requested. He passed into the next stage of life on Saturday, April 2, 2011. The family will greet friends after 12:30 p.m. at the church on Saturday. Private burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt, Iowa. Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City is handling arrangements.

Russell Nolan Banker was born on the 4th of January, 1951, in Belmond, Iowa, during a blizzard, arriving a bit earlier than anticipated, which caused a minor kerfuffle. Rusty always regretted this and spent his life not being early in atonement. He was the eldest child of Robert Nolan Banker and Beryle Eileen Crone Banker. He grew up in Britt, Iowa, where his father had a bicycle shop and across the street from his paternal grandparents. He graduated from Britt High School and attended the University of Iowa, majoring in history.

He worked at various jobs, including the Duncan Grocery Store, the Britt Country Club, Winnebago Industries, proofreading for NCS, teaching classes at Northern Iowa Area Community College, the University of Iowa, cooked at two sororities, and was a poll worker in the auditor's office. Cooking was a longtime vocation and avocation, best expressed when he hosted the annual garden tea party to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

Rusty had many interests besides the culinary arts, mainly reading, writing, needlework, genealogy, travel, politics, gardening, languages and religion, and doing crossword puzzles. He served on the Vestry of Trinity Episcopal Church, one year as clerk on the board of directors of the Free Medical Clinic, as a volunteer for hospice and at the Senior Center.

Rusty always considered himself blessed to live amid an extended and animated family, including numerous great-aunts and great-uncles, aunts and uncles and colorful cousins, but especially patient and forgiving parents and siblings, their families and a parade of wacky dogs.

Surviving Rusty are his mother, Beryle of Britt, Iowa; his sister, Rebecca Horton of Port Angeles, Wash., and her family: Jennifer Brougher, Oliver and Olivia Brougher, and Kathryn Veldhouse; brothers: Robert and his wife Mary of Cedar Rapids, and their daughter, Lindsay; Louis and his wife Julie and their offspring, Christopher, Matthew and Abigail of Cedar Rapids; Richard and his wife Sue and offspring, Ryan and Morgan of Ankeny; and David and his wife Nafija and son Alex of Sioux Falls, S.D.; several aunts and uncles, most of those partners-in-crime cousins, and a wonderful circle of friends both here and in the UK, all of whom he was profoundly grateful.

Rusty was preceded in the next stage by his father, Robert, in 1995; his paternal grandparents, Louis and Ethel Banker; his maternal grandparents, Evan and Minnie Crone; and one set of great-grandparents, William and Fanny Cornford; his nephew, Louis Veldhouse; brother-in-law, Michael Horton; numerous relatives and friends; and his Old English Sheepdog, Prudence.

Those who wish to make a memorial contribution can do so to the Trinity Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, Iowa City Hospice, Free Medical Clinic, Iowa City Public Library, your local public library or animal shelter, Iowa Public Television or Public Radio, or to a stranger in need.

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