Marilyn Banger, 81, of Port Charlotte Florida, passed away on Thursday, March 11, 2021 after a brief battle with battle with Pancreatic Cancer and a much longer journey with Alzheimer’s.
She was born September 10, 1939 in Holland, Michigan where she met and married the love of her life and her high school sweetheart, Herk.   They began their journey in 1956 and it was an incredible journey.  As Herk’s success grew, they moved frequently, also living in Traverse City, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Lafayette, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Bradenton, Florida; Sylva, North Carolina; and Port Charlotte, Florida.  Marilyn was the rock in Herk’s life, keeping everything organized and under control.   She became an expert at packing & moving and holding yard sales – out of necessity – all while raising five children.
Marilyn worked with Herk on many of his entrepreneurial ventures.  In his insurance business, she ran the office, handled all the administrative responsibilities and in later years, was often able to travel with him as he traveled the State of Florida for Aflac.  When they ran a woodworking business, she did the hand painting and finishing work.  Together, they scooped gallons of ice cream at their Peppermint Patty’s Ice Cream Shop in Dillsboro, NC.  And when they owned their mobile home park, she handled the books and the tenants and she cleaned more mobile homes than you would have ever thought possible.  In 2011, they retired to Port Charlotte and they especially enjoyed their years at Kings Gate.
Marilyn was very talented with sewing.  When her children were growing up, she made most of their clothes and she taught her daughters to sew.  She also did intricate work involving weddings.  She was a great knitter, an avid crafter and she had a very creative mind.  She shared her husband’s love of cars and went with him to car shows every chance they got.  And, she was also a HUGE Doxie lover, and was a Dog Mom to Fritzie, Benji, BJ, Rusty, Candy, April and Lola.  And she truly loved her Grand dogs, too!   Her family was always number one in her life.
Marilyn was predeceased by her loving husband of 64 years, Harris “Herk” Banger and by her parents, Harry and Alberta Jacobs and her three sisters, Irene (Harold) Blystra, Amy (Paul) Slenk and Jane (Harv) Johnson.  She is survived by five children: Vicky (Sandy – dec’d.) McPhee of Port Charlotte, Roxanne Akerberg of Seminole, Florida, Rhonda (Ernie) Gehrich of Atlanta Georgia, Randy (Kelly Clem-Rickon) Banger of St. Petersburg, Florida and Kim (Erik) Crosby of North Port, Florida.  She is also survived by grandkids Crystal Gehrich,  Steve Akerberg, Randy Banger, Jr., Amy Vinson,  Melissa McThenia and 11 great grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank all of the staff at Lexington Manor, Life Care Center of Punta Gorda and her fabulous team from Tidewell Hospice, who all assisted with her care for the last couple of years.
Visitation and Funeral Services will begin with visitation starting at 1:30 p.m. and continuing until start of services at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at Roberson Funeral Home’s Port Charlotte Chapel located at 2151 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte, Florida, with Committal and burial to follow at Restlawn Memorial Gardens cemetery in Port Charlotte.  The funeral service will be officiated remotely by her niece’s husband, Reverend William Vanden Bosch.  In compliance with suggested guidelines to help prevent the further spread of Covid-19 and protect our most vulnerable and at-risk individuals, seating will be limited and we ask anyone that may be in attendance to please be respectful of others and observe social distancing and wear a personal protective mask.
For our friends and family near and far who are unable to travel or attend, the service will be live-streamed.  Please click on Live Streaming Service Tab to open link.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (Alz.org) or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan.org) on her behalf.
Friends may visit online at www.robersonfh.com to extend condolences to the family. Arrangements are by Roberson Funeral Homes & Crematory, Port Charlotte Chapel.