Mary Elizabeth Banks (Good)

Mary Elizabeth (Good) Banks, 89, of Russell, Kansas, died Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Main Street Manor in Russell.
Mary was born on August 19, 1932 in Sabetha, Kansas. She was the daughter of Elmer and Helen (Slater) Bien. She grew up in Sabetha and graduated from Sabetha High School. While working at the Sabetha Theater as an usher, she met Paul Francis Banks. They were married on January 8, 1952, in Fidelity, Kansas, at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. This union was blessed with nine children: Deborah, Tim, Robert, Patricia, David, Phyllis, Carol, Duane and Doug. Together Paul and Mary worked at the Sabetha seed factory for a short time and Mary was then a devoted housewife. They moved their family to Russell, Kansas in 1967, where she continued to be a homemaker as well as a babysitter and later child care provider.
Mary was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Ladies Church Guild. She was also a member of the Russell VFW Ladies Auxiliary. Both Paul and Mary had a passion for square dancing, being members of the Russell Crosstrailers and Shoot Stars of Hays, and loved traveling to dances and conventions. She also enjoyed reading, especially Christian romance novels.
Mary’s surviving family includes her four daughters, Deborah Kreutzer (Allen) of Lawrence, Kansas, Patricia Mead (Mark) of Russell, Kansas, Phyllis Billinger (Jeff) of Russell, Kansas, and Carol Pummell (James) of Sabina, Ohio; five sons, Tim Banks of Russell, Kansas, Robert Banks of Hays, Kansas, David Banks (Mel) of Russell, Kansas, Duane Banks (Kathleen) of Russell, Kansas and Doug Banks (Michelle) of Russell, Kansas; 34 grandchildren, 65 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband Paul on November 24, 2007; three sisters, Louise Simmon, Barbara Keesey and Nellie Pearl Bien; four brothers, Fred Bien, George Bien, Glen Bien and Ralph Bein; two grandchildren, Sean Banks and Sierra Banks; and a great-grandson Carter Leones.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 26, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Queen of Angels in Russell. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Russell. Visiting hours will be from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 25, 2022, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary. The vigil and rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Queen of Angels.
A memorial was established with St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Contributions and condolences can be sent to the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler morgue, which is in charge of these arrangements.