Karen Denise Banks

Karen Denise Banks, 57, of Manhattan, passed away Monday, October 21st, in Wichita. Karen was born in Memphis, TN on April 20, 1962, the daughter of the late James and Mildred (Banks) Smith. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and cousin. Karen is survived by her 3 children, son, Michael (Danielle) Banks of Manhattan, KS; daughters, April (Shenna) Banks and Janay Banks, both of Manhattan, KS; a brother, Walter Bernard Taylor of Memphis, TN; 4 grandchildren: Kameron, Alivia, Amaia, and DeShawn Banks, all of Manhattan, KS; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Karen is now reunited with her parents and sister, Marva Brown. A homegoing service will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 26th at the Carlson's Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home & Cremation in Manhattan. The family of Karen Banks wishes to express their deepest appreciation for the many comforting calls, visits, floral tributes, prayers, and all other expressions of kindness during this time. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. Romans 14:7-9 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phillippians 3:21 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7 God saw she was getting tired, and a cure was not to be, So He put His arms around her, And whispered, “Come with Me.” With tearful eyes we watched her suffer, And saw her fade away. Although we loved her dearly, We could not make her stay. A golden heart stopped beating, Small, frail hands put to rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best. -Unknown