Barbara Jewell Banks

Barbara Jewell, born September 11, 1946, was the youngest child and only daughter of Marion Caruthers, Jr., and Addie Mae Jackson Caruthers. Her two older brothers were Laurence (Larry) and William (Bill). Barbara married Charles Allen,III. and was mother to Marian Renee, Kelly, and Charles, IV. She later married Reverend Ephthallia Banks.

She attended Kansas City, Kansas public schools, including Grant and Hawthorne elementary, and Northwest Jr. High. She was a proud member of the Sumner High School Class of 1965 and maintained a closeness with many of her classmates. In December, 2021, Barbara was keynote speaker at the annual class gathering.

Barbara was reared in a Christian home; in her youth, she attended St. Peter’s AME Church in Kansas City, Kansas. In her later years, she immersed herself in women’s Christian conferences, retreats, church services, and prayer meetings. In the early 2000’s, she accepted the call to a Gospel ministry, and on March 15, 2009, she was ordained and preached her first sermon at New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Temple Full Gospel Church in Kansas City, Kansas. She devoted the remainder of her days to “walking and talking for the Lord,” always thankful for an opportunity to teach, speak, pray, and serve.

Barbara often spoke of how, in the fall of 2005, the Lord spoke to her, saying “call the women together to celebrate me.” She immediately founded the “Celebrate Jesus” ministry. And, in accordance with Psalm 145:7, during the 2005 Christmas season, the first group of women gathered at Rachel’s Tea House to “celebrate His abundant goodness and to joyfully sing of His righteousness.” For more than fifteen years, “Celebrate Jesus” was a blessing to the community. The praise gatherings, with their quiet moments of worship and Holy Communion, will forever hold a special place in many hearts. The retreats hosted by the Ministry provided a much-needed opportunity for respite and quiet time for reflection and introspection.

Minister Barbara Jewell served in other community ministries as well, including “Purpose and Destiny,” alongside Apostle Gina Houston, and “Rachel’s Tea House,” where she and Founder and Director, Minister Carolyn Cofield, served pregnant teens and unwed mothers.

Barbara had great affection for acting and for the theatre. In her junior year at Sumner High School, she performed in the lead role of the Christmas play “Amahl and The Night Visitors.” Later, she joined the Kansas City Christian theatre group, J.T. Productions, where she was an “actress for the Lord.” She was with “JTP” for approximately fifteen years and performed in more than ten plays. Barbara was also gifted with a beautiful soprano singing voice.

Barbara’s organizational skills and keen eye for detail made her an exemplary and very capable Administrative Assistant. She was employed at IBM during her twenties, thirties, and into her forties before she accepted an offer for early retirement. Her next position was with Hallmark Cards, where she worked for approximately ten years. At age 74, after eighteen years, she retired from the University of Kansas Medical Center, Laboratory Animal Resources Department. In each position, Barbara made lasting friendships, and many of those friends faithfully attended the “Celebrate Jesus” praise services.

Barbara loved “family time”—early morning walks with Chuck, dining at different restaurants with Kelly, enjoying a movie at home with Renee’ and the boys, and getting together with Larry and cousins at a local buffet. She offered words of wisdom to out-of-town grandchildren, and encouraged grandchildren to not just be “first cousins,” but to be friends. She encouraged great-grandchildren, who were not yet old enough to attend school, to look forward to the days when they would not only enjoy but excel at reading and working with numbers. Mother” Day, 2023, Barbara said one card which read “Grandmas know that little memories can last a lifetime,” said it all. She will be greatly missed.

Barbara Jewell was predeceased by her parents, her brother, William, her precious grand-daughter, baby Faith; her sister-in-law, Gloria, and her nephew, Michael.

She is survived by her three children, Marian Renee’, Kelly, and Charles, IV (Tricia); a “bonus” son Brian Creal (Shayla), her brother Laurence, her sister-in-law Loyce, grandchildren Kelly, Chuck, Emma, Jewell, Chavaun, Isaiah, Christian and Matthew, great-grandchildren Juniper, Rosemary, Oakland, and Ivy; nephew, Kenneth, nieces Carmen and Latifah, and a host of other family, friends, and loved ones.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-butler.com for the Banks family.