Eva Leach Banks

On Sunday, October 3, 2021, Eva Leach Banks went home to be with the Lord at the age of 89. She was born on July 22, 1932 in Cleveland, Georgia, the daughter of Bessie and Henry Grady Leach Sr. When Eva entered Heaven she was reunited with her loving husband, Jim, of 64 years.

Eva is survived by her daughter Sandra (David), Grandchildren Greta (Jonathan) and Kellie (Andrew), Great Grandchildren Isabella, Meah and Grady, Great-Great Grandchild Nayeli and Brother Richard (Pat), several cousins, nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jim, parents, and brothers, Henry Grady Jr., James, Stanley, John, and sister, Evelyn Brewer.

Eva married Jim, the love of her life on June 8, 1954. They enjoyed fishing,   hunting, traveling, camping and journeys to many gospel singings together.

Eva demonstrated excellence through her lifelong contribution to the field of nursing working in many areas of the hospital wherever she was needed.  Working in the Emergency room was her favorite.   She worked at Athens General, St. Mary’s and Gainesville Hospital for many years, and later for a private practice in Commerce for Dr. Sam Vickery.

One story of nursing, that was close to her heart, was of a 14 year old girl who had polio. She was in an Iron Lung, which assists with breathing when muscle control is lost, and encloses most of a person’s body.  Her supervisor asked for volunteers, so she volunteered to stay with her. Eva stayed up all night comforting and reassuring the scared young girl.  With her caring, kind and compassionate spirit this made her a great nurse.

Her nursing career ended when she got sick and was paralyzed from the neck down with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Many doctors were brought in to diagnose what she had.  At that time there was not very much known about this disorder. The doctors told her family that she probably would not survive and if she did she would never walk again.  After months at Emory Hospital and a rehab stay she was determined to learn to walk again.  When everyone else would have broken, Eva stayed strong and kept fighting to regain her health and get her life back. Later in life she battled cancer twice and faced so many health challenges. Through her, all of our family and friends know what resilience, perseverance and faith truly looks like.

Eva loved music and loved to sing; what a beautiful voice she had! When she was 14 years old living in Atlanta, her school choir was chosen to sing at the Fox Theater.  What a great memory she had standing on that stage with an audience’s applause. Through the years she continued to sing in the choir at her home church Webbs Creek Baptist Church. During homecoming at Sandy Creek Baptist Church, she sang with her sister and brother in law, who had a gospel music group. Eva and Jim traveled to many weekend Gospel music conventions, across many states. They both shared a love of Gospel music. She is singing in that Heavenly choir now, making beautiful music.

Eva loved to read books, especially her Bible.  She liked to play Scrabble, but also enjoyed a game of canasta with the ladies from the farm or a game of Rook or Go Fish with her family. She also liked to work in her flower garden, solve crossword puzzle books and was an avid Genealogist. Eva and Jim traveled up and down the east coast, stopping at every lighthouse along the way, because she loved lighthouses.  Eva loved adventure and living life to the fullest.

She was known for her quick wit, infectious smile and kindness. Eva never met a stranger and had a kind word for everyone. She was a person who always saw the best in others. She took the time to talk to people from all walks of life and kept in touch with her family and friends by telephone or by sending cards or letters. No matter how bad things were she could always find humor in a situation and make you smile. What a gift she had caring for others.

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, there will be a Celebration of Life for Eva and Jim at Thompson Farm Clubhouse, 1505 Morton Road, Athens, GA at 11:00am. It was their wish that family, friends and neighbors share events or funny stories about their lives together with us.