A.L. Banta

• BORN: September 28, 1926
• DIED: April 12, 2015
• LOCATION: Oden, AR

A.L. Banta passed away April 12, 2015. He was born September 28, 1926 in San Angelo, TX and was the third of four children born to Len Louis and Myrtle Ann Banta. He served in the Air Force during World War II as a B 29 mechanic; then finished his bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M. He married Ruth Doris Barbee on February 15, 1948 in San Angelo, TX. Mr. Banta finished his masters degree in Animal Husbandry at Colorado A&M while teaching as a professor of wool technology for 2 years; then A.L. and Doris found land in Oden, AR for a cattle ranch in 1951.
Mr. Banta was hired by the veteran’s administration to teach farming to veterans beginning in 1951, thus he came to know the farmers of the county and freely gave of himself to help and teach on each farm and in the veteran’s classroom. He taught sciences and agriculture for 26 years at Oden High School. FFA students performed well in state and national contests.
A.L. served on several county boards including hospital, nursing home, Farm Bureau and First National Bank, to name a few.

Mr. Banta was preceded in death by his parents, Len Louis and Myrtle Ann Deans Banta of San Angelo, TX; his brother, John Banta of Waco, TX; and his sister, Lola Demek of Lancaster, CA.
Survivors include his wife, Doris and three children, Kay Banta, Len Banta with wife, Deborah, and Mary Gail Cook, all of Oden; six grandchildren: Ruth Banta of Searcy, AR; Jon and Mary Banta of Lowell, AR; Sarah Banta of Oden; and George and Judy Cook of Oden; one brother: Bill Banta of Lubbock, TX; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends..

In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations can be made to:
Gospel Tracts International
4377 E. Huntsville
Fayetteville, AR 72701
or
World English Institute
1725 NW Division St.
Gresham, OR 97030
Earmark in honor of A.L. Banta

Visitation will be Wednesday, April 15, 2015 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at Thornton Funeral Home in Mt. Ida, AR. Funeral services will be Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Pencil Bluff Church of Christ with Tommy Williams and Heath Larner officiating. Interment will follow at Pencil Bluff Cemetery. Pallbearers include: Len Banta, Jon Banta, George Cook, Wayne Barbee, Carl Zinn and Robin Singleton. Honorary pallbearers: Ed Barnes, Steve Abernathy, Bill Abernathy, Delton Hughes, Wayne Johnson and Mike Benton. Arrangements were made under the direction of Thornton Funeral Home in Mt. Ida, AR. Guest registry is at thorntonfh.com.