Donna (Bigley) Banks

Donna (Bigley) Banks, 86, of Battle Creek, passed away on April 22, 2023 at Roper St. Francis Hospital in Summerville, SC.  She was born in Battle Creek on June 7, 1936 to Ethel (Wright) and Thomas Bigley and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1955.

On August 22, 1964, Donna was united in marriage to Lewis Banks.  She retired from the US Postal Service on October 31, 2009 after 41 years of service.  Donna had a huge heart who was always willing to help other people.  She helped raise her younger sister after the death of their mother. 

Donna loved to walk, walking from Battle Creek to Marshall a couple of times in her younger days.  Along with her daughter, she was in many charity walks over the years.  She walked the Mackinac Bridge 19 consecutive years and the Cooper River Bridge 4 years.  When her health began to fail, she moved to Goose Creek, SC to live with her daughter.  She made many memories with her daughter and great-granddaughters during her months in South Carolina.  It brought much joy to her to watch her oldest great-granddaughter in her gymnastics competitions.  She looked forward to each one.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Lewis Banks in 2009; her sisters, Doloras Moats in 1990, Judy Warren in 1980; her brother, David Bigley in 2009; and her two grand pets, Lizzy in 2020 and Sweetheart in 2023.  She is survived by her daughter, Kathaleen Warren-Banks and her wife, Cheri from Goose Creek, SC; her son, Lewis Banks II from Battle Creek, MI; her daughter-in-law, Kimna Banks from Battle Creek, MI; her grandkids, Christopher (Marie) Laird from Kalamazoo, MI, Jeremy (Jenny) Laird from Kalamazoo, MI and Toby Oliver from Goose Creek, SC; her great-grandkids, Kristyanna Smith, Hendrix Laird, Dexter Laird, Tucker Laird, Annabelle Laird, Tanner Laird, Aubrianna Oliver, Chloe Oliver and Brielle Oliver; her sisters, Joanne (Roger) Thomas from Montrose, CO, Dianna Hughey from Conway, AR and Susan Carnell (Phil Hamilton) from Battle Creek, MI; a very special niece who was like a granddaughter to her, Nicole (Feliz) Diaz from Battle Creek, MI and their kids, Jasmine Diaz, Issac Diaz, and Lucas Diaz.

The family will receive friends 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 28^th at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Battle Creek where funeral services to celebrate her life will be held 1:00 p.m., Saturday, April 29^th.  Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the American Heart Association.    Personal messages for the family may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.