Phyllis Clark Banks: 1924 - 2010
I remember visiting a friends house and being shocked because his grandma was actually stern with him. She wasn't really mean, but I thought that grandparents only lived to spoil their grandkids!
So it was with Phyllis. Phyllis grew up when hamburgers and milkshakes cost a dime and the movies set you back a nickel. For each of our (the grandkids) birthdays she would give us more money than growing up her Dad would make in a week!
Her last year of high school, she and her High School sweetheart, Willis, sat listening to the radio about the attack on Pearl Harbor. A few short years later Willis would be battling on the front lines in France.
Great story: One day she received a letter from Willis' parents. I'm sure she was terrified, fearing the worst as he was still on the front lines, but inside she found an engagement ring. His parents said they sent it at Willis' request. She wrote him back and said yes. When he got the letter he was really surprised, he knew nothing about the ring! He had casually mentioned to his folks he wished he had given Phyllis a ring before he left, and his parents decided to take matters into their own hands!
We grew up very close to Grandma and I got to know her and Grandpa pretty well. As grandpa got older, when I was a teenager, I got to be their official "yard caretaker". I'd do everything from cut the grass and trim the trees (grandpa always let me use the chainsaw) to pay their bills for them. After I was done I was always given a fudge-sickle from the freezer, and a soda from the fridge, which I would eat while we would talk in the front room.
We'll miss you Grandma, you're the best!
