Edna O'Banion

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Edna Applin O’Banion was born on October 7, 1935, in Arden, Texas, and entered her heavenly home, surrounded by family, on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

She was born in a railroad car where her family resided on a farm where her father was a sharecropper. The family later moved to Cross Plains, Texas where she graduated high school as valedictorian of her class. Her parents, although they only had 7th and 8th-grade educations, were committed to higher education for their children. As a result, Edna attended Hardin-Simmons University where she became a registered nurse.

Edna met Frank O’Banion while she was in college and they married on September 17, 1960 in Abilene, Texas. They lived in the Texas towns of El Dorado, Kerens, Stanton, and Fairfield until they retired to their farm in Cross Plains in 1996. Edna purchased a farm adjoining her parents’ land before they were married, which was rare for women at that time. She was strong, determined, and did not easily accept the words, “you can’t.”  Frank and Edna enjoyed a long and happy marriage until his death in 2014.

Edna served at many hospitals in towns where Frank served as a music minister throughout their 54-year marriage. A natural servant who enjoyed caring for the needs of hurting people and helped many patients as they entered heaven, she worked in the ICU, emergency room, labor and delivery room, and clinical settings for most of her career. She was known for her dry and quick wit and her creativity. She was an extraordinary cook and seamstress who made clothes, quilts, baby blankets, embroidery, and many gifts for her friends and family. Edna also enjoyed gardening and being outdoors. She spent many years helping her dad on the farm and enjoyed raising Hereford cattle, which she resumed in her retirement.

More than anything else, Edna was known for her strong faith. She accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was 17 years old and was baptized by her father in a river. She spent her life sharing her faith through how she lived and by serving in the local church. She was a preschool minister and taught VBS, adult Sunday School, and Bible studies throughout her life. Singing gave her great joy and she could sing any hymn in the hymnbook by memory. Her greatest desire was to know Jesus and to make Him known to those around her.

She is survived by her children, Grayce Miller of Temple, Rhonda Roberts and her husband Bruce of Brownwood, Guy O’Banion and his wife Stephanie of Belton, and Rebecca O’Banion of Belton; two granddaughters, Michelle Greenway and her husband James, and Morgan Roberts; three great grandchildren, Krysalyn Petersen, Westyn Petersen, and Clara Greenway; a sister, Ruth Applin; a brother in-law Ed O’Banion; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dan and Mary Applin; her husband, Frank O’Banion; an infant daughter, Sheila Beth O’Banion; two brothers, Gilbert, and George Applin; a sister, Mary Miner; and her husband’s parents, Guy Frank, and Nettie O’Banion.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the Frank and Edna O’Banion Endowed scholarship at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at 900 College St, Box 8451, Belton, TX 76513, or online at www.advance.umhb.edu. This was established to honor their lives of service and provide financial help for students pursuing church music or nursing. Gifts can also be made to the Heart of Texas Baptist Camp & Conference Center at 8025 FM 2125, Brownwood, TX76801 or online at www.heartoftexascamp.com.

A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Belton on Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Family will be available after the service in the foyer of the church.  A graveside service will be held in Cross Plains, Texas at 4:00 p.m. on the same day.

Honorary Pallbearers, Tom Dunn, Westyn Petersen, Monty Richards, Greg Turner, Cliff Kirkham, Wendell Draper.