Terry Martin Bannister

Terry was born May 21, 1947, he grew up in Collinsville, Illinois. After graduating from college and working in Colorado for some time he came to Texas where he met the love of his life, Carol “Lucy” Bannister at work. They married in 1980 and he inherited her family of 3 children Trey, Michelle and Cheryl, and their dog Sugar.

He worked for Ricoh as Dealer Sales manager for 24 years from 1986 to 2010. He earned countless vacations around the world for top sales, enabling him to take Lucy on a lifetime of adventures; then worked for TLC Office Systems as Vice President of Training Services and communications from July 2011 to March 2015. His final job was at ImageNet Consulting in League City, TX, close to their home on the water. He really enjoyed building his sales team and worked there until he was 72, when he had a massive stroke after surgery in April of 2019. He fought hard to recover and came home to spend 3 more years with his bride of 42 years.

Terry was an accomplished student earning a Bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Microbiology and Immunology from 1965 to 1969, a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign from 1969 to 1970, and finally his Master’s Degree in Molecular Virology University of Illinois Urbana Champaign from 1971 to 1972.

He had a great love for sports, which started at a young age. Terry played baseball in high school and in time grew to love all sports. Terry’s first allegiance was always to the St. Louis Cardinals, but he grew to love his Texas teams too. He enjoyed going to the Texans and Astros games with family and coworkers, loved to watch sports on the weekends when he was not enjoying being on his boat, “Kiersten”, spending time on the water with family and friends--teaching his grandchildren to fish. He also enjoyed supporting his grandchildren in all of their endeavors from sports games, dance recitals, gymnastics, to church performances. Ultimately, spending time with family on the holidays was one of his favorite pastimes.

Terry reunites with his Father, Murlin H Bannister and his mom, Joyce Shuemaker Bannister in Heaven.

He is survived by wife Carol Lucy Bannister, bonus children Trey (Heather) Newman, Michelle Newman and Cheryl Diamond; grandchildren Kiersten Newman, Emerson Fraley, Bailey Newman, Jack Diamond, Evan Diamond, Cade Diamond, Elley Newman and Wylie Newman. One sister Patricia Bannister (Samuel James) Dalton and extended family Christopher Loarn (Carisa) Dalton, Mattew Ryan Dalton and Ashley L. Dalton, Jeffrey Martin (Virginia Todd Lewis) Dalton, Rebecca Lynette (Ido Bar Aba) Dalton and Elena Joyce Bar Aba.

A memorial service for Terry will be held Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Forest Park East Funeral Home, 21620 Gulf Freeway, Webster, Texas 77598, followed by a reception from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkEast-FHC.com for the Bannister family.