Hazel Bankston

Hazel Maxine Bankston

July 6, 1927 March 8, 2007

Opelousas-Funeral services for Hazel Maxine Bankston, 79, will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, 2007, at the Louisiana Memorial United Methodist Church 515 E. Bellevue Street, Opelousas. Interment will follow in the Bellevue Memorial Park.

Rev. Dale Hensarling will officiate the services.

Mrs. Bankston passed away after fighting a brave battle with complications suffered from an automobile accident on January 28, 2007, in Opelousas.

Maxine was born in the small community of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana and grew up in Coushatta. She moved to Opelousas in 1944 after attending nursing school in Shreveport which ended before completion, because of injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

Maxine spent her entire career 48 years working for Marcann, Inc. where she made many lifelong friends and two very special ones, Elizabeth Liz Dunbar and Shirley Goforth. Mary Tyler was her constant helper and friend at home from 1964 through her retirement years. Maxine loved her family, her friends, and will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her. She loved shopping, her trips to Dallas, and her weekly trips to visit her sister June in Lafayette, and her niece in Grand Coteau, often with loving encounters with her three-year old great-great nephew, Aidan Ryder.

Maxine had much respect for the medical community of Opelousas, and would have been most pleased by the team of wonderful doctors, nurses and other medical staff who worked so diligently and empathetically to save her life. She now resides with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

She is survived by her son, Dennis Keith Benoit and daughter-in-law, Alma Davis Benoit of Richardson, Texas, three grandsons: Nicholas Powell Benoit and Jordan Keith Benoit, both of Plano, Texas, and Barrett James Benoit of Houston, Texas; her sister, Gloria June Thornton of Lafayette; nieces and nephew, Vicki Thornton and Chester Lyons, Becky Thornton Begnaud and Connie Thornton Privat; and her sister and brother-in-law Sandra Sandy Rambin and Jerry Leonard of Coushatta, Louisiana; nieces Margaret Leonard Dupree, Marie Leonard Tucker and Susan Leonard Knotts, and several great nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by her mother, Ollie Mae Jarrett Fontenot, father, Joseph McWheney Rambin, husbands, Aaron Louis Benoit and Truett Bankston, and brother-in-law Conrad Malcolm Buck Thornton.

Maxine was a lifelong member of the Louisiana Memorial United Methodist Church in Opelousas. In lieu of flowers please make donations to her church on her behalf.

The family wishes to extend our heartfelt love and gratitude to all who stood with us, prayed with us, and cared for us and Maxine during this time, and a special thanks to her gracious pastor, Reverend Dale Hensarling who was constantly at her side during her fight.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 10 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sibille Funeral Home, 2309 Geroge Drive, Opelousas. On Sunday, visitation will continue in the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of services.

Words of comfort to the family may be expressed at www.sibillefuneralhomes.com.
PSPAN style

Visitation

Sibille Funeral Home
2309 George Drive
Opelousas, LA  70570
Saturday, March 10, 2007
37 p.m.Sun 10 a.m.service

Service

Methodist Service

LA Memorial United Methodist Church
515 E. Bellevue Street
Opelousas, LA  70570
Sunday, March 11, 2007
2:00 p.m.

Cemetery

Bellevue Memorial ParkH
4833 Highway 182
Opelousas, LA  70570