Mary Katherine Bankston, 94 of Baldwin City, Kansas passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
Private graveside service will be held Thursday, May 22nd at 1:00 pm Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home, Independence, Missouri.
Mary was born January 26, 1931 at Shellcrest Dairy Farm in Liberty, Missouri. She lived on the dairy farm with her father Larkin P. Wilcoxson, her mother Ida Mae Wilcoxson and older sister Dorothy Wilcoxson. Her father was a farmhand at the dairy. She moved to Baldwin City in 2001 to live on her son’s (Steve Bankston) farm in the country. She was a very independent woman and lived in her own home on his property. The happiest years of her life were spent living there with Steve. She was surrounded by her flowers, birds, deer and all the other wildlife she enjoyed watching. One of the most cherished moments she had was sitting on her porch with Steve watching the beautiful sunsets. She was very artistic and creative making dozens of beautiful cross stitch pictures that she had framed and displayed around her home. She taught ceramics for years. Other talents she excelled in include folk art painting, crocheting, macrame and sewing. She never missed a NASCAR race on TV as she loved watching every minute of them and when she wasn’t watching the races, she had a western on.
She was preceded in death by her parents Ida Mae and Larkin, siblings Dorothy and Carolyn, grandson, Nick Thresher and her beloved furry companion, Bandit.
Mary is survived by her children, Linda, Steve, Vicki, and their spouses, Grandkids, Great Grandkids and Great-Great Grandkids.
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, Missouri