Delzie Palmer Banks

Delzie Palmer Banks was born on September 1, 1926, to the late Wilson and Orlena Day Banks in Roda, Virginia. As a boy, he often enjoyed riding his bicycle across Lynch Mountain to visit his grandparents. He was a proud Benham High Tiger graduate. He loved his hometown of Benham as well as the school and teachers. At the age of 17, he joined the US Navy and served during World War II. By the time he was 18, he had traveled around the world from Hawaii, Philippines, Australia, Italy, and Iran. On his 18th birthday he passed by the Statue of Liberty. He served on a few different US Naval Ships, most notably the USS Montreal. While stationed in San Francisco, CA, he met the woman who would soon become his wife. They met on the street in front of a photography shop. He married Jeanne Barnette on the naval base on November 1945 and the two drove across the Golden Gate Bridge after the ceremony. He brought his new California bride to the mountains of Whitesburg, Kentucky to make their home.
From their happy union, they had six children, Charmaine, Juston, Timothy, Elmo, Daniel, and Debra. In 1963, he moved his family of eight to the US Steel Coal Camp in Lynch, KY. He became a boss at US Steel and worked in the coal mines until 1983 when he retired. Delzie was a lifelong member of the Benham Masonic Lodge #880. He was baptized on November 25, 2018. He passed away on January 27, 2022, at Baptist Health in Corbin, KY with his daughter Debbie by his side. He was blessed with 95years on the earth and enjoyed telling stories about all of his many adventures. Delzie was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanne Banks, parents, Wilson and Orlena Banks, brothers, Bernard, Johnny, Elmo, and Jerry Banks, daughter, Charmaine Banks Kelly, and granddaughters, Amy Rachelle Banks and Danielle Banks. He is survived by his children, Juston Banks (Belynda) of Cumberland, KY, Timothy Banks (Sharon) of Whitesburg, Elmo Banks (Peggy) of Cumberland, KY, Daniel Banks (Tammy) of Whitesburg, KY, and Debra Dixon (Lowell), of Corbin, KY, siblings, Evelyn Adams of Benham, KY, Mattie Hall (Freddie) of Whitesburg, KY, Roshella Gray of Carleton, MI, and Norman Banks of Jenkins, KY, 16 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and seven great great grandchildren. Military Honors will be conducted by American Legion Post #88 Honor Guard at 4pm on Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home. Following military honors visitation will be held from 4:30-7pm at Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home, 607 Master Street, Corbin, KY. Visitation will then be held from 10am until 1pm on Tuesday February 1, 2022 at the Everidge Funeral Home, 65 Main Street, Whitesburg, Kentucky, where his funeral will be held at 1pm with Bro. Glenn Cornett and Bro. Freddie Hall officiating. The family has asked those attending to wear a mask.
Burial will follow in Green Acres Cemetery in Whitesburg.