Raymond Lloyd Banwart

Raymond Lloyd Banwart, age 89, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., went to be with his Lord and Savior early Monday, July 9, 2007, at the Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott. He was born April 6, 1918, to parents Benjamin R. Banwart and Cecelia Marti Banwart in rural Minnesota near the towns of Morris and Hancock. At the age of eight, Raymond moved with his family to Lamar, Mo. He married Kathryn Ann Somerhalder Aug. 26, 1945, in Burlington, Okla.

Mr. Banwart moved to Fort Scott in the early 1940s and began working for Key Industries as a sewing machine mechanic. He continued working at Key for 42 years and held the positions of purchasing agent, production planner and corporate treasurer. Following his retirement from Key he went to work for his family at Sekan Printing. He retired completely in March of 2001. In his youth, Raymond took Jesus Christ as his personal savior and became a member of the Apostolic Christian Church where he served as Sunday school teacher, minister from 1966-'92, and elder from 1972-'92 of the Fort Scott congregation.

Survivors include twin sons, Don Banwart and wife Aleta and Lon Banwart and wife, Debbie, all of Fort Scott; nine grandchildren, Taira Williams and husband Daniel, Trista Miller and husband, David, Trenton Banwart and wife, Kristi, Tyler Banwart and wife Tina, Timothy Banwart and fianceé Nicole Scott, Thayer Banwart, Alesha Martin and husband Jared, Justin Banwart, and Alyssa Banwart; 10 great-grandchildren, Madelyn Martin, Emma Martin, Cedric Martin, Alex Williams, Eli Williams, Alyson Miller, Connor Miller, Mia Miller, Benjamin Banwart, and Josiah Banwart; brother, Lloyd Banwart, Springfield, Mo.; aunt, Sophie Nohl, Morris, Minn., and numerous, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathryn on Oct. 25, 2004, also his parents; two brothers, Arthur Banwart and Harvey Banwart; and three sisters, Pearl Banwart, Marie Banwart, and Clara Frank.

Eugene Marti, Larry Bahr and Jeff Fischer will conduct funeral services at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 11, at the Apostolic Christian Church. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday at the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Apostolic Christian Church Building Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701.