Wendell Phillips Blagden Banks

Wendell Banks passed away peacefully on his 81st birthday at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He was born in Savannah, Georgia, a city he forever cherished. In 1957, he graduated from Woodbury Forest School in Virginia. He entered service with the United States Air Force, learned Korean at Yale, and served at Wright Patterson AFB, Goodfellow AFB, and in Korea as a Voice Intercept Processing Specialist. Wendell continued his education following Honorable military service at Duke University, where he was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity and obtained his BA in Economics in 1965. He worked at the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, where he received the rank of Captain in 1971. Wendell spent most of his time in computers, working in data processing and programming positions, including at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant for FirstEnergy Corp from where he retired in 1997. He greatly enjoyed music, sailing and photography. Most of his friends and family will remember him as the center of attention and always enjoyed a good party. He especially loved the south and was proud of his Georgia accent. Wendell is preceded in death by mother Louise Blagden Langhorne (Louise Burton Blagden/Lord/Banks), father Robert Edward Banks Jr., and stepmother Helen Maria (Weiner) Banks. He is survived by Dorothy Ann (Croud) Banks of Columbus, Ohio, with whom he was married to for forty years, three daughters; Anne Banks McCoppin (Todd) of Powell, Ohio, Nancy Ruth Banks (John Opfer) of Columbus, Ohio, and Sandra Helen Banks of Columbus, Ohio, two Grandchildren; Taylor Belle McCoppin and Nathan Darrell McCoppin, sister, Barbara Reiger (George) of Locustville, VA, brother Robert Banks (Sue) of Lakeland, FL, step-sister Sheryl V. Thacker of Atlanta, Georgia, and step-brother Andrew A. Vernon (Janice) of Snellville, GA, Niece Kaitlyn Banks of Dallas, Texas, Nephews Bill Banks of Austin, Texas, and Christopher Reiger (Elizabeth) of Santa Rosa, CA. Wendell’s ashes will be interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family will hold a celebration of Wendell’s life at a time TBD. In memoriam, the family requests a tribute donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in his name or to the charity of your choice. 

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