Anita Avice (Dean) Holmquist Banks
Anita Banks
WAUSA – Memorial services for Anita Holmquist Banks, 101, Wausa, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 7, at Thabor Lutheran Church, Wausa.
Richard Bloomquist, PMA, will officiate, with private family burial.
Visitation will be held 5-7 p.m., Oct. 6, at Brockhaus Funeral Home, Wausa.
Anita died Sept. 30, 2023, at Faith Regional Health Services, Norfolk.
Anita Avice (Dean) Holmquist Banks was born Jan. 2, 1922, on a farm north of Pierce, to George Earl and Minnie (Zahn) Dean. The Dean family consisted of six girls and three boys. She was baptized at Congregational Church, Pierce. When Anita was 4 years old, her mother passed away, so each girl had to take over household duties, but kept the family together. Anita attended country school in Osmond and later in Pierce.
In 1937, the family moved to Osmond and one year later her father was elected Pierce County sheriff, necessitating a move to Pierce to live above the jail. The girls’ duties expanded to cooking for prisoners.
Anita left Nebraska for California in 1940, at age 18, and worked for a songwriter in Beverly Hills and later for Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica.
Anita married Loren Holmquist March 22, 1944, at Little Chapel of the Dawn in Santa Monica, while Loren was in the Navy. During their early years of marriage, they lived in San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Boston until Loren retired from the Navy.
They returned to Wausa in 1947, and both worked with Holmquist Construction. Due to Loren’s declining health, they closed the construction business in 1968 and Anita began working at Anderson Grocery (now The Market) in Wausa. Loren died May 7, 1974.
Anita married Elwin Banks Nov. 27, 1977, at Thabor Lutheran Church, Wausa. Elwin died May 31, 1992. Anita continued living in her own home until 2009, when she moved to Countryside Villa Assisted Living and remained there until her death.
She was an active member of Thabor Lutheran Church, American Legion Auxiliary for more than 70 years, Senior Citizens and Wausa bowling league. Family was her primary focus; she never missed a birthday, and her caramel rolls were legendary.
Survivors include her three children, Janet and husband, Gary Langemeier, Hemet, Calif.; Larry and wife, Carol Holmquist, Elkhorn; and Douglas and wife, Doris Holmquist, Norfolk; her five step children, Shirlene Haslett, Demorest, Ga.; Rodney and wife, Betty Banks, Wausa; Barbara Rupert, Clinton, Pa.; Beverly and husband, Jeff Draemel, Omaha; and Nancy and husband, Gerald Stech, Osmond; along with 21 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were both husbands; her parents; siblings; and sons-in-law, Dave Haslett and Robert Rupert.
Memorials are directed to the Wausa Fire and Rescue Department or Thabor Lutheran Church.
The family of Connie Vanness would like to thank everyone for the visits, cards, memorials, food, plants and flowers. We would like to thank Brockhaus Funeral Home for their thoughtful words and help.
Thank you to Pastor Bobby for the prayer service and for officiating the funeral service. We would also like to say a special thank you to everyone at Good Samaritan for the care Connie received the last few months. God Bless you all. The Family of Connie Vanness Byron Vanness Eric and Sandra Vanness, Elliot and Autumn Jennifer & Shawn Gansebom, Joshua, Mason, Cody, & Dawson Sarah and Nick Rasmus, Levi
