SOUTH PARIS - Retired Navy Commander Audrey Estelle Banks, 82, died Monday May 11, 2020 at her home.
She was born February 10, 1938 in Lewiston the daughter of the late
Ralph C. Banks and Frances “Betty” French Banks, and sister to the late
Robert C. Banks.
Miss Banks lived in Portsmouth, Rhode Island from 1975-1997, moving
to South Paris in 1997. She served in the United States Navy Nurse
Corps for twenty years and retired in 1979 as a Commander. Her duty
stations included hospitals in the United States , Kenitra, Morrocco and
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Prior to entering the service, she lived for
many years in Lawrence and Methuen Massachusetts. She graduated from
Lawrence General Hospital School of Nursing in Lawrence, MA in 1958.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University
of New Hampshire in 1975 and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing from
the University of Rhode Island in 1982. She also received a Master of
Arts degree in Holistic Counseling from the Salve Regina University in
1986 in Newport, Rhode Island. After retiring from the Navy, Audrey
worked in Rhode Island nursing homes, and home care agencies and was
also the clinical instructor at Salve Regina University. She
volunteered for the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, and
Island Hospice as a bereavement coordinator. She also had a private
practice in counseling, stress management and Kriegar/Kunz model of
Therapeutic Touch.
Audrey enjoyed being a part of the knitting guild and her special
pool group. After her dog, Susie, passed away she continued to share her
love of dogs with the rescue dogs at Responsible Pet Care.
She was a member of The Retired Officer Association, the Navy Nurse
Corps Association, the New England Navy Nurse Corps Association, a
lifetime member of the Military Order of the World Wars, a lifetime
member of the VFW, The American Legion and the Disabled American
Veterans. A former member of The American Nurses’ Association, The
Professional Nurse Healers Association and The Holistic Counselors
Association. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in
South Paris, the AARP, and The Therapeutic Touch International
Association.
She leaves a cousin Sharon Tibbetts and her husband Robert of
Newton, NH; a cousin Sandra Miller of Fort Lauderdale, FL; cousins Jill
Ann Banks and Sherrie Mae Banks; a sister-in-law Carol Banks of
Dixfield. Many extended family members, neighbors, Church friends, a
best friend Becky Armstrong and her husband Albert, other local friends
and many Navy friends scattered throughout the country.
A graveside service will be announced at a later date.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, First Congregational Church in So Paris, or Responsible Pet Care.
Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Home, 45 Main Street, South Paris
Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com