Elena Adams Banks, 94, of Terre Haute, IN died Sunday, September 16, 2012. She was born October 13, 1917 in Monroe County, Indiana, just west of Bloomington to Henry Sherman Adams and Myrtle Mae Butcher Adams. Elena retired as a Professor at Indiana State University.
Survivors include her son, Jonathan Ray Banks and his wife, Geni of Malibu, California; four grandchildren, Rebecca Elena Banks, Claudio Jon Henry “Hank” Banks, Ruth Garcia and Joanna Rae Banks-Morgan and her husband Rob Morgan; a great-granddaughter, Rheannon Morgan; a niece, Aletha Bonnette Foster and her husband Robert; and a cousin, Virginia Fields. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Vesta Dorinda Adams, Orville Louis Adams, Carrie Elizabeth Adams Bonnette and Olive Ruth Adams who died in childhood; and a nephew, Kenneth Lee Bonnette.
Both the Adams and Butcher ancestors settled in what is now Southern Indiana, while it was still inhabited by Indians, who were traders and friends of her grandparents. Elena was the last survivor of the first cousin descendants of America and Jaacob Butcher and the last member of the Henry and Mae Adams family. Her parents named their youngest daughter Emma Elena. Her mother ran the two names together and called her Emalana; her father called her Bill (never any other name except Bill). She chose to use her middle name, Elena.
Elena attended Ellettsville High School and later Indiana University, where she obtained a B.S. degree from the School of Business. Later in life she earned an M.Ed. degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Maryland, in College Park, Maryland (suburban Washington D.C.).
Elena worked for the Departments of the Navy, State, Treasury and the Post Office, including the Post Office Inspectors. At the end of her U.S. Departments career, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.
During Elena’s teaching career she worked thirteen years at the high school level, two years at the junior college level, and, for the last twenty years of her teaching, she was an Associate Professor at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. At ISU she was in charge of the Future Secretaries Association for several years, working closely with the National Secretaries Association. She was also a member of the National Business Education Association, the Indiana Business Educators Club and had received a Teacher of the Year Award from the School of Education. She was a member of both business and education honorary associations, including the Beta Omicron chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in Terre Haute. Through out the years, Elena taught Adult Education classes and summer school classes to supplement her income as the head of her family.
Funeral services will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 S. 25th Street. Burial will be in Clear Creek Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, Billy Adams would like for you to give with your heart to the charitable organization of your choice.
Obituaries
Elena Adams Banks
- Obituaries
-
-
Geraldine (Jerry) Fell
Jerry Fell, 93, of Jupiter, Fla., passed away on May 15, 2013
-
Bernard E. Forbeck Jr.
Bernard E. Forbeck Jr., 88, of Brazil, passed away at 6:15 a.m. Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Terre Haute Regional Hospital
-
Piper Renee Goodwin
Piper Renee Goodwin, age 9, Terre Haute, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday evening, May 15, 2013
-
Donald Gerard Morin
Dr. Donald Gerard Morin, a resident of Pennington, N.J., since 2008, and a former resident of Terre Haute, died May 14, 2013
-
Rennis Lynn Singhurse
Rennis Lynn Singhurse, 84, of Terre Haute, passed away at 3:04 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2013
-
Jack Warren Webb
Jack Warren Webb, of West Terre Haute, went home to his heavenly Father on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
-
Josh A.Chambers
ST. BERNICE — Josh A. Chambers, 33, of St. Bernice, passed away on May 17, 2013
-
Wm. Terry Pless Jr.
CARLISLE — Wm. Terry Pless Jr., 44, of Carlisle, passed away Friday, May 17, 2013.
-
DEATH NOTICE: May 19, 2013
Charles W. Isbell
-
Phillis M. Thomley
Phyllis Irene Thomley, 98, of Hymera, passed away at 10:20 a.m. Thursday, May, 16, 2013 in Shakamak Good Samaritan Nursing Center in Jasonville.
- More Obituaries Headlines
-
Geraldine (Jerry) Fell
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others
Officials Arrest Man in Idaho in Terrorism Case
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel
Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony
Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder
Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner
Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion
Beyonce Is Pregnant!
SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch
See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion
Woman tricked into taking abortion pill
Emma Watson Goes Pantless
IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos
Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
