Thomas Wilbanks

Thomas Lee Wilbanks departed this life on Friday, December 20, 2019, at the age of 85 years, 3 months, and 19 days. He was born in Clifton, Tennessee on September 1, 1934, the son of the late Thomas Carl and Clara Belle Stricklin Wilbanks. On February 14, 1953, he was united in marriage to Norma Unsell, who survives.

Tom grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and moved to Tennessee in 1963 with his wife and three sons, where he opened Tom's Electric Motor Service. He learned the electric motor trade at Southwest Electric and Evans Electric in Oklahoma City before opening his own business. He was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church in Savannah, Tennessee. Tom enjoyed taking his sons fishing and searching for arrowheads, he and Norma amassed a large collection over the years. He enjoyed bowling, and was the 1960 Oklahoma State Singles Bowling Champion and was a member of the ABC Bowling Association. He continued bowling throughout his life until he was physically unable. During his lifetime, Tom enjoyed raising cattle, pheasants, and especially quail. He raised thousands of quail and built numerous quail egg incubators that were effective in hatching quail eggs by the hundreds. Over his lifetime, Tom had donated in excess of 6 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Norma Wilbanks of Savannah, Tennessee; sons, Michael Wilbanks and his wife Ramona of Hendersonville, Tennessee, and Steve Wilbanks of Savannah, Tennessee; grandchildren, Matthew Wilbanks and his wife Chera, Mason Wilbanks, Hayley Rogers and her husband Ryan, and Emma Wilbanks; great grandchildren, Kyndal Wilbanks, Averi Wilbanks, and Banks Rogers; and a sister, Barbara McKee of Tuttle, Oklahoma.

In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by a son, Barry Wilbanks; and sisters, Linda Harwell and Carole Shockley.