Banister obituaries, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana 

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Name, date of obit, date submitted, submitted for the USGenWeb archives by:

Banister, Mary Helen Hilburn    14 Jul 2008    Aug 2008    Jerry Nelson

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Obituary published in The Advocate (Baton Rouge):  7/14/2008

BANISTER, MARY HELEN HILBURN
Mary Helen Hilburn Banister was born July 4, 1919, in Monroe and died
Tuesday, July 8, 2008, in Baton Rouge. She was a graduate of Neville High
School and Northeast Junior College, and worked as a legal secretary until
her marriage. During World War II, she campaigned for the re-election of
her husband as representative from Ouachita Parish to the Louisiana House
of Representatives, notifying him by telegram aboard the USS Olympus in the
South Pacific: "Banister wins by a landslide." She was a member of the
Junior Service League of Monroe and received several awards for her work
with the Audubon Council of the Girl Scouts of America primarily for her
efforts with Camp Marydale. A long-time resident of Baton Rouge, Mary was a
student of Chinese philosophy with Michael Chow, and a devoted reader of
Karl Jung with the late Battle Bell of New Orleans. Having had a spiritual
awakening, she truly tried to carry this message to others. She was a
member of the Presbyterian Church for more than 70 years until 1993 when,
under the wing of the late Sister Lydia Champagne, she experienced a
renewal which led her to the Roman Catholic faith. The practice of her
faith was the great joy of her latter years. At 80 years of age, Mary
traveled by sea around the world, practicing Tai Chi at dawn in China,
visiting India, and spending Easter in Jerusalem. Mary Banister was
predeceased by her husband of 52 years, D. Ross Banister; parents, Edward
S. and Katherine W. Hilburn; sisters, Katherine H. Long and Nell H.
Christensen; and brother, John E. Hilburn. She is survived by two daughters
and their husbands, Nancy Jane and William Bowles, of Georgetown, Texas,
and Helen Troy and Robert Mellon, of Denham Springs; a sister, Florence H.
Gates, of Pensacola, Fla.; six grandchildren and spouses, Michael L. and
Molly D. Holdeman, of Greenville, N.C., Karen H. and Miguel Tellez, of
Pflugerville, Texas, Edwin H. Neill, of Hammond, Mary Harriet and Michael
A. Hebeisen-Neill, of Bern, Switzerland, Ross B. and Elena B. Neill, of
Hammond, and Stern P. and Dawn B. Neill, of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and
nine great-grandchildren, Louis Napoleon Chavarria, Noah Foster Holdeman,
Ella Hartwell Holdeman, Parker Britton Neill, Nicholas Alexander Hebeisen,
Jonathan Michael Hebeisen, Annabel Troy Hebeisen, Carmen Troy Neill and
Camila Marie Neill. Following the death of her husband, Mary Banister spent
many years at home in the Southside Gardens retirement community. Her
daughters wish to thank Mark Calvit and all the staff at Southside Gardens
for those years of gracious living. St. Clare Manor was her last home and
Mary expressed her gratitude every day for the loving care she was given
there. The family of Mary Banister wishes to express our thanks as well to
the administration and staff, and especially those in the 500 Hall and the
activities staff, for the many efforts made on her behalf. Visitation will
be at St. Joseph's Cathedral, 412 North St., on Tuesday, July 15, from 
1 p.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 2 p.m., the Rev. Gerard F. Young,
celebrant. Interment in Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd.
Pallbearers will be Michael Holdeman, Edwin Neill, Ross Neill, Stern Neill,
Miguel Tellez and Louis Chavarria. Rabenhorst Funeral Home East is in
charge of arrangements. 

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