Floyd Gerald Banwart

Floyd Gerald Banwart

Floyd Gerald Banwart, 89, recently of Fort Scott, Kan., formerly of Phoenix, Ariz., died Sept. 25, 2014, at Medicalodge in Fort Scott. He was born Dec. 26, 1924, in West Bend, Iowa. He entered the army on Dec. 7, 1944, and served during World War II in the Pacific theater. During the war he contracted malaria and was sent to the Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham City, Utah, for treatment. After discharge, he returned to Iowa where he farmed with his brother Glenn in Pulaski. He was baptized in the Apostolic Christian Church in July, 1948. In the early 1950s, he moved to Phoenix, where he met and married Clara M. Lemons (nee Herbst) and became stepfather to Clara's three children. He worked as a carpenter in Phoenix until he retired in 1983. During retirement he lived in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., until he moved to Fort Scott in 2010.

He is survived by his children: Robert (Betty) Lemons of Fort Scott, Kan.; Steven (Betty) Lemons of Vienna, V.A.; Marcia Banks of Goodyear, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Lucille Schmidt and Joyce Banwart and one brother Joel Banwart. He was preceded in death by his wife Clara; his brother Glenn; and five sisters, Florence Banwart, Gladys Koehl, Doris Banwart, MaryJo Schmidgal and Mabel Weber.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at the Apostolic Christian Church, 1615 S. Horton, Fort Scott, Kan. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Sunday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will be the following Friday at the East Resthaven Cemetery in Phoenix, Ariz. Memorials are suggested to the Apostolic Christian Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.