Sandra (Sandy) Sue Banks, 76, of Early, passed away on June 2, 2023 in Abilene, Texas.
A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, June 9, 2023 at 2:00 PM in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel.
Sandy was born in Brady, Texas on February 21, 1947 to Paul and Nina Cottle. She grew up and attended school in Rochelle, TX, where she met her high school sweetheart, John Wayne Banks. They were married in Rochelle on June 11, 1966. After graduating high school in 1965, Sandy attended school at Abilene Beauty College. However, it was her work at the sewing machine that she used to make a living. When she was young, she taught herself to sew – a talent that she used in various capacities throughout the rest of her life, such as working as a tailor in a men’s suit store, in the fabrics department in Walmart, and self-employed doing alterations for many people in Brown County. But perhaps her favorite role was as mother to her two kids and “Meme” to her 5 grandkids. Meme loved attending her grandkids’ various sports games, band concerts, rodeos, and celebrations and especially spending time teaching her grandkids, and those she called “adopted grandkids,” to sew.
During retirement, Sandy decided to put her sewing knowledge to use in a different way, and she taught herself to quilt. She spent the past 25 years piecing and quilting beautiful works. She enjoyed being a part of the Brownwood Quilters Guild, and you could often find her attending quilt shows and shopping for more fabric. She also loved spending time at her home in Early perfecting her flower gardens, “supervising” her husband’s greenhouses, and drinking coffee on the porch while watching her hummingbirds fly to feeders while she spoiled all the pets they’ve acquired over the years.
She is survived by her husband, John Wayne of Early, Texas; Son Jonathan Dean Banks and wife Elizabeth of Franklin, Maine; grandkids, Briana Smith of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Jon Banks of Franklin, Maine, Courtnie Smith of Fort Worth, Texas, Wade Banks of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Bridget Banks of Early, Texas; sister, Brenda Estes of New Braunfels, Texas and brother, Obie Cottle of Querro, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Julie Ann Banks Smith; parents, Paul Ray Cottle and Nina Bell Ake Cottle; brother, Sammie Ray Cottle and sister, Shirley Kay Reed.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Hendrick Health’s “Hospice General Fund” at https://www.hendrickhealth.org/give/donate-online/