Johnnie Mae Banks

December 8, 1913 - May 19, 2013

Johnnie Mae Banks was born on December 8, 1913, and peacefully passed away at her home with her family on May 19, 2013. Her proud parents, Ed and Ada Lucas, now deceased, brought her unto this world at Gilmer, Texas. She was the third child of four daughters. Each of their children committed themselves to God and the church at an early age. Each lived a long life, Ida Gates (97), Odessa Luckus (98) and Glades Skinner (80's). Johnnie Mae passed at 99 years and about six months, on Sunday May 19, 2013. At her birth, we are talking about a time frame of 51 years after Emancipation Proclamation and 36 years after the reconstruction period. The family supported themselves as migrant workers picking cotton then on to sharecropping. Believe it or not, Johnnie loved picking cotton and that period of time on the farm. Later after a failed marriage where two children, Oran and Opal, were brought to life, Johnnie determined that she had enough of southern life. This was in 1942 when the United Stated had entered the Second World War. She paid a sister and a friend to care for the children and traveled to Bremeton, Washington to work at the Naval Ship Yard. After renting an apartment, she sent for her children and assisted her mother and two of her sisters to come to the Northwest. When the war was Johnnie started a caf'e named the Casino. but more important, she met a returning soldier named Edward H. Banks. He started an electrical repair shop and instructed electronics at the YMCA in 1945, they bought a home. Around this time they joined Bethel C.M.E. which later became Curry Temple. During this period Johnnie Mae did maid work at the Waldorf and other downtown hotels. She also did domestic work cleaning private homes. Both Johnnie Mae and Edward were involved in the community in which they lived. They helped Sam Smith in his campaign for election on the city Council, getting blacks to be included on the school board, PTA and assisted in organizing Central Area Little League baseball. When the civil rights period of the sixties rolled around, they jumped in with both feet. They worked with other concerned neighbors to establish the Camp Fire House, Urban League, Model Cities and the Central Area Community Club. Ed became known as the voice of the Central Area. Johnnie Mae was his confidant, companion and most of all, his sounding board and adviser. During this time, Johnnie was employed at the University of Washington's cafeteria and then went on to Boeing. Her son, Oran, who was the director of the Randolph Carter Center, accomplished building a new facility at 23rd and Yesler for the organization. By the mid and late part of the seventies, her husband's dedication to his work for the community was having a strong impact on his health. He started having heart attacks and finally had to retire from community activities. Johnnie continued to work for a while but then retired to give more attention to her husband. Never being one to let the grass grow under her feet, she evolved herself in the senior bowling league, fishing and working at the church day care. But there was one more thing about Johnnie; she was always there for you. Throughout her years, she always had a kind word and a little bit of wisdom for you. She was going to feed you, give you a place to sleep and a little direction to guide you on your way. she took care of seniors, grandchildren and then later their children so they could go to work. Her husband passed in 1986 and with the help of her son, for property maintenance, she continued to live independently until 94 when she developed some health compliant. Then later her grandchild, Jameela, pitched in to provide more assistance and security. But please let it be known, until the end, Johnnie Mae carried her own weight. We are a family that functions as a team and one of our greatest stars has moved on.