Alpha Thames Banks

Alpha Mae Thames Banks was born February 13, 1931 in Norfield, Mississippi to the late Albert Henry Thames, Sr., and the late Johnnie Wright Denwood Thames. Alpha met Roy Willie Banks, her husband, while in high school and got married during college. They stayed married for 67 years until the Lord called her home July 9, 2020. During their golden years, they shared a room at Wilson Health Care. From their union came two children—Alpha Teresa Banks Blair and Roy Andre Banks. Alpha was preceded in death by her son Roy Andre' Banks, brother Albert Henry Thames, Jr, sister Jonie Mevelyn Moore, (nephews) Lambert Moore, Daryl Jones, Dedry Jones, Ronald Spates, (nephews) Eric Jackson (Charlene), Kenneth Jackson (Martha) and Godmother Mary T. Ward. While Alpha was an elementary school student, in a one room schoolhouse during the 1930s, her dream was to one day become a schoolteacher. After graduating from college in 1954, she joined the faculty of Magnolia elementary school in Jackson County Mississippi, later taught 3rd grade at Our Lady of Victories Catholic School, and subsequently retired from teaching after more than 48 years. Alpha was proud to be an educator. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Jackson Teachers College in Jackson Mississippi, Alpha enjoyed many creative hobbies, served as a board member for the county fair, taught home economics, was a member of several artesian guilds, and both owned and operated a artesian craft store. She encouraged and allowed her own children to identify, connect with and develop into who they were created by God to be and what they were put on this earth to do. The lifestyle she modeled was that you are not finished when you complete the task. She challenged her children early in life by asking them "what are you working on that will outlive you"? Her home was filled with many projects that privately involved meeting the needs of other people in the community. Although her daughter was born legally blind, through Alpha's efforts, she was able to overcome and advance beyond what was predicted for her during that time in medical science. As a neighbor, she shopped with the other mothers, shared recipes, as they watched over each other's children. In her church she was a member of the parish council, sang in the adult choir, directed the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), served as director of the Youth Choir, chaperoned students attending state and national CYO meetings, successfully managed the campaign of a student who achieved state office of leadership, served as president of the Ladies Auxiliary, was a delegate to several National Black Catholic Congress meetings, and was humbly honored to be one of the representatives from the Diocean to be in the audience during a papal visit. She valued family, education, service, relationships, creativity, and God. Alpha leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Roy Willie Banks, Daughter Alpha Teresa Banks Blair, Son-in law Michael Henrique Blair, (brothers) Jacques Thames, Lloyd Julius Thames (Joyce), (Nephews) Michael Moore (Latrell), Rodney Moore, Jeffrey Moore, Godfather Jerry Washington Ward, and a host of other relatives, friends, neighbors, church members and former students. Friends who became daughters: Iris Wright Simpson, Arlene Johnson, Marie Henderson and Rachel Washington Carpenter. Friends who became a sister: LeGrant Wright, Dorothy Prout. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider a donation to either imaginationlibrary.com or Creativityshell.org

Tributes

Alpha Thames Banks

February 13, 1931 - July 9, 2020