Vannoy Banks

Vannoy Banks passed away peacefully on November 14, 2025, at the age of 81 in Brevard County Florida.

Born on April 27, 1944, in Mary, Kentucky (Wolfe County), he was the son of Lester Ford Banks and Manda Ella Taulbee. The fourth of five children, he grew up alongside his siblings Lester Junior, Paul Russell, Phillip Lee, and Patricia Kay.

Vannoy attended Germantown High School, where he met and later married his high school sweetheart, Ardice Gillette. He enlisted in the United States Air Force and served as an air policeman in Buffalo, New York, and later Puerto Rico. His time in Puerto Rico allowed him to avoid combat in the Vietnam War, and it was there that the couple welcomed their first child, Wende.

After completing his four-year term in 1966, the family moved to Ohio, where Vannoy played middle linebacker for Miami University of Ohio while earning his Bachelor of Science degree. During this period, their son Brian was born.

Following his graduation, Vannoy moved his family to Florida in pursuit of warmer weather. They settled in Indiantown, where he worked for Pratt & Whitney. His youngest son, Bradley, was born in 1969. The marriage ended the following year.

Vannoy eventually left Pratt & Whitney to pursue a career in real estate where he was a manager for Realtech and left to form his own real estate and construction company, ANCA. During this time, he met realtor Christina Klonz, whom he married in December 1976. Their daughter, Faydra, was born in January 1978. The couple divorced in 1998.

Later, Vannoy returned to Pratt & Whitney. At this time he also attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for his MBA. Vann remained at Pratt until age 60 when he retired early to take care of his father.

A dedicated servant to his community, Vannoy was an enthusiastic Kiwanian and longtime member of Singer Island Sunrise Kiwanis. He also served as the Kiwanis Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2000. Additionally, he had a lifelong passion for diving and spent every lobster season in Marathon Key from the 1970s into the early 1990s. After retiring, he found joy in community theatre, performing in productions such as You Can't Take It With You and Arsenic and Old Lace.

Vann did not want a funeral, but close family will gather for dinner and a time of remembrance at the home of Kevin and Faydra Stratton Tuesday, November 25th. Please no flowers. If you'd like to make a donation in Vann's honor, consider giving to the National Fragile X Foundation.

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