Dollie Elizabeth Banks was born to Andrew Jackson and Girtha Hendrix (Roden) Nowell in Soper, Oklahoma on August 15, 1927 and departed this life in Mangum, Oklahoma on January 8, 2013 at the age of 85 years, 4 months and 23 days.
Dollie grew up in Plainview, OK, where she graduated High School. She married Cowley Carl Banks on November 29, 1946 and they made their home north of Mangum, OK before moving to Willow, OK in 1962. She received her BA from Southwestern State College, Weatherford, OK and became a 4th grade teacher at Dill City for 22 years before retiring. She loved teaching school and keeping in touch with her past pupils.
She loved spending time cooking and getting her family around the table visiting. She enjoyed shopping for her grandchildren, whom she loved. Dollie canned her own vegetables and was a hard worker in everything she did. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Oklahoma Retired Teachers Association. She was baptized at Soper Baptist Church in the river and a member of First Baptist Church, Willow.
She was preceded in death by her husband and 4 brothers, Stanley, Colvin, Hall and Frank Nowell.
Survivors include 2 sons, Carl Banks of Lawton and wife Jackie of Goodwell, OK and H.J. Banks of Hobe Sound, FL; a daughter, Jeanie and husband Ben Van Vacter of Mustang, OK; a brother Roy Nowell and wife Bettye of Oklahoma City; 5 sisters, Annie Mae Grubbs of Cordell, OK, Edith Grubbs of Fritch, TX, Ida Vinson of Fayetteville, AR, Betty McAlexander of Mangum, OK and Peggy Sanchez of Canon City, CO; 7 grandchildren, Clint Banks and wife Cindy, Patti and husband Carl Johnston, Carrie Banks, Katy and husband John Murray, Karel and husband Danny Bobo, Kasey Kraybill and Cameron Van Vacter; 10 great grandchildren, Allisson and Aubbri Johnston, Cloie and Carlie Banks, Jake and Lily Murray, Eli, Corbin, and Ashlan Cole and Cole Bobo and many other relatives and friends.