Raymond Banner

Raymond V. Banner, 84, of Mount Ayr, formerly of Creston, passed away June 20, 2022. Open visitation will be held 3 - 8 p.m. Thursday, June 23 at Armstrong Funeral Home with funeral services beginning 10 a.m. Friday, June 24 at the funeral home. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery.

Memorials are to the Mount Ayr Regular Baptist Church and the Ringgold County Historical Society.

Raymond Vaughn Banner was born Dec. 16, 1937, son of Vilas C. and Mary A. (Clark) Banner, at his grandparents, Dellno and Lola Banner’s home in rural Tingley, Iowa. He grew up on several farms in Ringgold County and attended various country and town grade schools. In 1956 he graduated from Benton High School. Raymond graduated with a certificate from Grace Bible Institute, Omaha, Nebraska, in 1959; received a B.A. degree from Bob Jones University, Greenville, South Carolina, in 1961 and earned a Th. M. (Master of Theology) degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1965.

From August 1965 to 1969 he was engaged in preaching and religious work. In April 1970 he moved to Des Moines where he was employed as a clerk at the Des Moines, Iowa, Post Office from April 27, 1970, to Aug. 31, 1992, when early retirement was taken. He had worked part time at the Dallas Post Office when in seminary.

He purchased a home at 603 N. Hayes in Mount Ayr, Iowa, and moved there Dec. 2, 1992, across from his mother, Mary Banner. Raymond assisted his mother during the last 10 years of her life, until her death on Dec. 4, 2002.

In 1972 Raymond became involved with the Right to Life movement and was an active volunteer for 20 years. After moving to Mount Ayr he served as president of the Ringgold County Historical Society for nine years. While living in Mount Ayr he attended the Regular Baptist Church and occasionally the Free Methodist Church.

In May 2011 Raymond moved from his Mount Ayr residence to a home at 410 S. Vine Street in Creston, Iowa.

Raymond compiled, wrote, edited and published a number of books on genealogy and local history.

He was conservative in his Christian faith, politics and lifestyle. Reading, research and writing were favorite pastimes. Raymond was a lifelong bachelor.

In April 2021, Raymond became a resident of Clearview Home in Mount Ayr where he lived the remainder of his life.

He was preceded in death by his brother Eugene at age 16 in 1963 and by his parents.

He is survived by cousins, distant relatives and friends.