January 17, 1934 ~ April 15, 2026 (age 92)
Josie Banta Obituary
Josie Delia Rawlinson Banta, 92, passed away on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lufkin, Texas. Josie is under the care of Dickie Allen Funeral Home in Cushing, Texas.
Graveside Services will be on Sunday, April 19th, 2026, at 3:00 P.M. at McKnight Cemetery, in Cushing, with Brother John Withem Officiating. There is no public visitation scheduled.
Josie was born in Cushing, Texas on January 17, 1934. She graduated from Cushing High School, Cushing, Texas in 1952. Upon graduation she worked at Stripling’s Drug Store in the soda fountain shop while attending Massey Business College in Nacogdoches, Texas. She excelled in her secretarial and people skills that supported her roles at The Commercial Bank of Texas in Nacogdoches, International Paper Company in Nacogdoches, and ExxonMobil in Baytown.
She was a great mother and loved family with all her heart. She truly beamed when sharing time with family and friends. Her quick wit and sense of humor always kept everyone on their toes. She was an amazing caregiver and always helped those in need. Josie loved the Lord and enjoyed teaching Awana’s program at church. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edward Mack Banta who was the joy of her life for 30 years. They enjoyed traveling the world together or just going for car rides in the afternoons with their beloved pets, Fifi and later, Sugar. Those rides later in their lives often culminated in a joint love affair with Whataburger.
Josie is survived by her children: Julia Marie LeBlanc Beaver and husband, David Wayne Beaver of Mason, Paul Vincent LeBlanc and wife, Rachel Annette LeBlanc of Nacogdoches; stepchildren, Susan Banta Peterson of Houston, Bruce Edward Banta and husband, Oscar Banta-Guevara also of Houston; grandchildren, Samuel Vincent LeBlanc and wife, Brittany LeAnn LeBlanc, Gabriel Ayden LeBlanc, and Abigail Faith LeBlanc; step-grandchildren, Jennifer Peterson Wroe and husband, Dr. William Walker Wroe, and John Owen Peterson, Jr. and wife, Elizabeth Vanegas; great-grandchildren, Amelia Pearl LeBlanc, Lennox Cru LeBlanc, Ledger Dane LeBlanc, Chaylee Ann Moreland LeBlanc, step-grandchildren, Sophie Hazel Wroe and Luke Walker Wroe.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Claude Donald Rawlinson and Millie Ophelia Birdwell Rawlinson; brother, William Clifford Rawlinson, and sister, Zeffie Rawlinson Biggs; great grandson, Vincent Kroix LeBlanc.
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