It’s hard to believe that my primary family is gone and left me to stand as tall as they did. Missing my brother BILL, FAYE, JOANNE, DRUZELLA AND EARL

PEGGY

It's hard enough to believe Billy Banks has been gone 7 years, already. He was a wonderful father-in-law as well as a friend to me and friends with everyone who knew him. But it's even harder for me to realize that in just a little over a month I will reach the age he was when he passed. I recognize his death was by an accidental fall. But that accident reminds me that frailty has slowly become my companion in recent years and it's getting more so as every year passes. It impresses on me the fact that I should learn to stop resisting admonishments from my children when they tell me not to do physically demanding things that I've done all my life. I'm working on overcoming that pride thing. I hope others who may read this, will take note.
I miss Bill and Tammy very much. I have no doubt they are working together to make ready a wonderful place for all of us. We all remember how creative they both are at making great accommodations and activities we all enjoyed. I'm looking forward to that time...BUT, not too soon. :-)

Another year you are missed by everyone . You sure can be proud of your grande children this year.) Sara graduation from Rn college and working st Jospeh hospital in Tampa. Ryan graduation from college with at bacuhat

Thinking about and our good times together Bill.
Happy Birthday today on what would be your 82nd.
By now you know you have some recent company that has joined you. Your beloved sister Faye Ritchie passed this month on September 17, 2022.
We miss you both so much!

You will forever be looked up to by me! I love you

Happy birthday. Wish you and Tammy were still here. Y’all are missed by everyone. As always Jan

Brother Bill, still missing you and our talks.

I love you, Sister Faye

I will never quit missing you. You made such a huge impact on my life and was the best Uncle a person could hope for. You loved me and accepted me just the way I was. What fun we had. One day we will be together again. And with all my ones who have gone before me. I love you Uncle Bill.

Still Can’t believe you are not here putting around in your garage in Hialeah. Give Tammy a hug . We miss both of you. As always Jan

It's been over 4 years and he's as missed now as much as he was then. Always a caring and a teriffic uncle, not to mention a mentor and teacher. I admit I pushed his patience a time or two but he never gave up. It is a great honor to call him my uncle!

Thanks for being my friend and being a big brother to me! I miss you and take you everywhere with me. Give our loved ones a big hug.

Mr. B, sure do miss you. Things are just not the same without you. Happy Birthday can't believe you'd be 80. Love you, Faye

Another year!!! You are missed by all. Happy birthday

You are still missed by everyone. Give our daughter a big hug for me. Always

Can't believe four years had gone by since you passed. I miss you so much and think about all the good times I enjoyed with you, especially holidays and birthdays. You're in my heart forever.

I miss you and will alway miss you. You have always been larger than life to me.

Happy birthday Bill , wish u were here to enjoy. You r missed.

Just a few short words to say I miss you. The last few years before you left, I talked to and saw you very little. Always thinking you would always be around, taking life for granted. Now that you're gone (to a better place), this world is minus one great and teriffic Uncle. I could'nt have been blessed with a better one than you. I love you Uncle Bill

You are missed by many friends and loved ones.

I just want to say I love and miss you uncle Bill. You was always good to me and gave me many chances in my lifetime when I didn't really deserve them. You have helped me in so many ways. From the time I was a young child running away from home because of an abusive father, you were around trying to help. I've learned a lot from you. your patience, your love, your generosity and of course some of your talents like carpentry and repairing things. Some things, I learned on my own but a good many was learned from you. I had the priviledge of working on your Bertram and the added bonuses of when you would take me out on it and open up the throttle. I even got to see stiltsville. There are so many things to speak of and I will always have pleasant memories of them.

I miss you, I love you, Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday my wonderful brother. Sure do miss you. Sure do love you.
Sister Faye

I still have not been able to deal with the loss. Uncle Bill was my best buddy, for fishing, hard core country music and raising a little hell partying. He always made me feel like a queen and accepted me just as I was. He always went out of his way to show everyone a great time. That seemed to be his calling. Your pleasure was what he wanted. What joy they must be having in Heaven now. Miss you Uncle Bill. >Love you.

Can’t believe u r gone. I still see u in the Hialeah house being busy as a bee in the garage. U r missed.

You are missed by everyone. Give Tammy a big hug and tell her she is also missed very much.

Two years and still miss him every day, Bill was such a rock for everyone and especially my rock.  Bill and Tammy are both gone too soon but now together - love you both,

Has it been 2 years already? Hard to believe. Billy Banks, is the name I call him because he always announced himself, "...Billy Banks calling...", when he would call, not to talk with me, of course, but with Tammy.
Still missing Billy and Tammy Banks, as we always will.

Happy belated birthday Wee Willie. You are missed and 
Will never be forgotten. Give my daughter a big hug for she is also missed

Bill,

You are forever in my heart!

Peg

Bill, where to begin? You were my rock, always had my back and just believed in me. We loved each other so much. We were three siblings
and always close. First we lost JoAnne and were so sad together. Now
I have lost you. It's been over a year and I have just begun to accept it.
The poem "Forever In My Heart" seems to say it all. It follows:
   A limb has fallen from our family tree!
   I keep hearing your voice saying "Grieve not for me. Remember the
   best times, the laughter, the songs, the good life I lived when I was
   strong.                                               
   Continue my heritage;I'm counting on you. Keep smiling and surely
   the sun will shine thru.
   My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest, remembering how I truly was
   blessed.
   Continue traditions, no matter how small. Go on with your life, don't
   worry about falls.
   I miss you all dearly so keep up your chins; until the day comes that
   we're together again."

Happy Birthday - we had so many happy family birthdays.
Your "Sister Faye" You called me that so much that some of your friends
were surprised to learn that I was not a Nun.

Happy Birthday, Billy Banks! I know how you feel about drinking it.
But, I Suggest you join Joann and Tammy, today at about 5:00 for their ritual Cuban Coffee break. Bring a cold one with you, if you like!

Billy Banks was and is my best friend!

I cherished every minute I spent with him. When I would leave the last thing he would say is "I will be thinking of you".That is such a kind and thoughtful gesture.
I spent 5-6 days a week building the firetruck mailbox for Sean with Billy from september untill christmas and that was one of the most enjoyable times of my life.
I love you Billy

I miss him everyday, he was a tough cookie. To share emotions was not easy but when things got tough he was the toughest of all. I loved him as a big brother and when I think of him I just remember how he always made me feel loved. Now I carry his memory with me everyday! OXOX

A year ago, today, was a very tough day for the family. A Father, Grandfather, Brother, Husband, Uncle, Cousin, Father-in-law, Friend and hero to all who knew and loved him, had left this life. Bill Banks, left us with great memories of a life filled with fun, laughter, and, of course, some sadness. But, he will be remembered most for how he touched our hearts and lives.

I miss Bill more today than yesterday and each day forward i will miss him more. I have not been able to process his passing and i still expect to hear him calling to go fishing. And i am also grateful that we had him as long as we did and I believe it was Thanks to my Aunt, Ms J, who took so much time and loving care of him. She helped him enjoy a few more years than we would have had, I really believe that. GOD IS GOOD! We love you Uncle Bill and we will never forget you.

Today would be Daughter, Tammy's 56th birthday. Just added the following note and photo to the gallery tab above about Granddaughter, Sara Katherine Fetter graduation from College on December 11th, 2016.

"From the time she was a little girl, as the first Grandchild of Tammy's Mom and Dad, Sara was encouraged to go to college and become the first in their family to get a formal college degree. Although Both Her Mom and Grandfather passed away, before she did it. Sara never forgot."

Happy birthday Bill. Wish you were to celebrate it. You are missed. Jan

Bill, I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that you are gone. Gone to an adventure that I can not yet be a part, you always made me feel important. I only hope you knew how important you were to me and so many others. I will try not to cry because I have to let you go on to explore the joy of being with those who went before you! Please know how hard it is for me to be left behind but I look forward to seeing you in the future, OXOX

I don't have any idea how to write this tribute. How can I say whats in my heart without getting all emotional and teary eyed. Uncle Bill was around during some of my toughest years as a little boy. I vaguely remember him or another person with him, driving mom around some old empty warehouses looking for me because that's usually where I went to hide when I would run away from home because of my dad. He was always so encouraging and patient with me during those years. Granddad made me a water cannon that after it was pumped up, would shoot high up in the air. Granddad took it from me after I did something bad (I don't remember what). It was uncle Bill who got it back for me. As the years rolled on, He's given me money, he's given me lots of little jobs to do and when I moved back to Miami from Texas and he saw me trying to open a repair shop, he bought me a bunch of tools and an expensive oxygen/ecetelyne torch set. He allowed me to work on his bank safe vans and even his Bertram, the 'MISS J.' Uncle Bill has welcomed me in his home and garage so many times. It was him and Aunt J, who threw a birthday party for my 40th birthday and presented me with a beautiful safe with my name painted on it, 22 years ago. My memory isn't as sharp as it used to because I'm unable to remember a lot of my past in detail, but Uncle Bill was a very important and very loved person in my life. Nothing but fond memories of him!! I love you Uncle Bill

The feelings that come with the loss of Uncle Bill are best described by my wife Felicia Sherree, “It’s like losing our Lion King”. I’ve found comfort in knowing that with all the people that have loved him he will always be alive in memory and spirit. In my early 20’s he was my mentor and best friend, he helped be my guidance when I was just a kid. We shared a lot of time together boating, fishing, diving and most of all “loving life”.
    When Uncle Bill Married Janet, I remember him being so full of happiness and love. It was such a wonderful thing to see the love in his eyes. His feelings for her showed me what kind of love was possible. He made me want to be a better person (like him) so I could be as deserving of a love like his. So I modeled myself as best I could after him .
    He’s the reason I met the love of my life. Uncle Bill and Miss J had hosted an art showing at their house that family, friends and I were invited to. The young lady that was doing the showing was so beautiful and radiant I was instantly love struck. I asked Bill and Miss J. about her (Felicia Sherree) and they said “no, not a chance.” Well, because of Uncle Bill and his influence on me I can say I am still crazy in love with my wife Felicia Sherree after 24 years. Thanks Uncle Bill you defiantly made my life and world a better place.

Uncle Bill, it’s not goodbye, it’s see-ya later.

With love, Ronnie

It is hard to find the words to express the lost I feel with the passing of my Uncle Bill. For all of my life he has been a strong presence and him not being here is just not something I can put into a few lines. He was the strong backbone for the entire family and for me personally I felt a deep connection. He accepted me and seems to even encourage me to be myself. I can remember lots of fun visits when he and I would enjoy listening and singing off key to hard core country music and drinking shots while everyone else suffered from our crazy antics. Like the time he got us to fix Bob a "special" drink with every kind of liquor plus milk and hot sauce, honey mustard, etc. And after Bob drank it and passed out, Uncle Bill got us to paint Bob up with markers. Haha, good times. He always seems to get more enjoyment for making someone else happy then for himself. I remember when he and Tammy hid a treasure chest after we had rented a metal detector to try to find Ms J's lost ring. They "Helped" me find the chest, I thought I had hit the mother lode. Of course, since it was all new coins I knew I had been had. I sure will miss him. There will never be another to take his place. I hope one day to see them all again. I love you Uncle Bill and I will always miss you.

What can I say?

Although Bill was my step-father, he came to mean every bit as much to me as my father. We shared so many wonderful times together. He fully embraced, and went out of his way, taking on the role of "Grandpa" to my son Sean. Bill was like a father to him. They enjoyed fishing, boating and many more activities together.

We enjoyed numerous outings together, but one of his (and my) favorites was Captain Hiram's Resort in Sebastian, Florida.

Bill always put a smile on my face. He was always so kind. He gave great joy to my mother (Janet) and cherished her so much. He was such a wonderful husband to her. I can only guess how much she will truly miss him.

He will remain in my thoughts and heart (and so many others) forever.

What can I say? Everybody loved Bill!

Bill Banks warmly welcomed me to his family when I married his step-daughter Patty. In an instant I had a new father-in-law, but what I did not know instantly was what a great friend he would become. He was more like a big brother than father-in-law. We shared many outings together... birthday parties, Christmas, Thanksgiving, July 4th and more. He was always kind, generous, helpful and just a pleasure to be around. And Bill liked to stay busy, always doing something or starting a new project. And so many times his projects were a work of love, a gift for others. I know that Bill left smiles in so many places, he will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

I'll never forget Bill. He was one-of-a-kind. I'll also never forget what he did for me many years ago. He and his family were so generous and so much fun. I really feel for my dear sister, Sara, as she is too young to be dealing with these losses in her life. My sincere condolences to Janet, Faye, and the rest of the family. Forgive me as it has been so long that I cannot remember other names, though I definitely remember you all.

When Bill Banks and I first met, Tammy and I had just begun dating. He welcomed me and we seemed to get along quickly. But he had to test this "Yankee from New York" brought home by his older daughter. Soon enough we found ourselves out in his garage, his 2nd favorite place, I would come to realize. His first, favorite place, was aboard the "Miss J" on open water. He put on some Hank Williams, Sr songs on the boom box he had out there, and I recognized Hank Williams. Hank Williams is one of the few names I knew, back then. Although I had become fond of country music in general, at an earlier time in my adult life. He was impressed. He put on some other artists, that I couldn't name, but recognized the music. I told him honestly I had no idea who was singing, But I liked it. I guess this impressed him too. It was the beginning of what became a strong friendship, separate from being my father-in-law. I will always cherish some great laughs we shared, over the years, as well as some sad tears. By now, I'm guessing Bill, Tammy and Jo are dancing. Although I've never been a dancer. It was always a pleasure to watch them enjoy dancing so naturally. Whenever the time comes that I may be with them, I'm cutting in. Keep laughing, Billy Banks! Soon you'll have all the angels laughing with you.