,Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Langdon, N.D., followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery and a luncheon at St. Alphonsus, for John Henry (Jack) Banasik, 98. Jack passed away December 18, 2023, peacefully at his beloved home on 9th Street, a street he lived on for 90 years. In Wales, N.D. on November 29, 1925, Jack was the fourth child born to John George and Freida Marie (Meyer) Banasik. He was the middle child of seven children. In 1927 at age two, he moved to the family's Langdon home at 1113 where his mother resided for 55 years. In 1933 at the height of the Depression when Jack was seven, his father died. His mother was 33, and the children aged 13 to one. To help provide for the family, Jack worked on the Meyer farm from age ten until he graduated from high school.
Purchasing his first car at 13 with money he earned from his paper route selling papers for ten cents apiece, Jack went on to own 90 vehicles that he could list and describe. His favorite was a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air four-door, hard-top purchased brand new. He also enjoyed driving, fishing, boating and camping throughout North Dakota (Mt. Carmel Dam), Minnesota (Cass Lake) and Canada (Morden, Killarney) in his 1938 REO Land Yacht/Bus.
After graduating from Langdon High School in 1943, at age 17 Jack enlisted in the Navy Air Force during World War II. He was stationed in the South Pacific, Galapagos Islands, Panama, and Trinidad. In a Martin PBM Mariner patrol bomber flying boat, their 13-man Navy Squadron VDP-204 patrolled the Panama Canal and the U.S. coastline for any signs of the enemy submarine activity and protected convoys. The Mariner galley was appreciated on 24-hour missions which included being guided in the dark only by radar. As Plane Captain, Jack was responsible for ten men. Some missions involved landing in the ocean and swimming to shore and back. He was honorably discharged in 1946 at the rank of Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class and was awarded the WWII Victory Medal. Returning to Langdon by train from Minneapolis after his discharge, Jack could not enter a bar because he was seven months shy of his 21st birthday. After the war, he spent one year at Jamestown College.
On June 18, 1949, at St. Alphonsus Church Jack married Ione Mary Wilhelmi, a teacher residing at her family farm in Loma, N.D. They were married for 61 years until Ione passed away July 21, 2010. They had five children: Pat, Joan, Ray, Ron and Jan.
As a mechanic Jack worked for Ramage and Son, Langdon Motors (GM) and started his own business north of town, Banasik Motors, in 1972. He credited the missile people who came from down South for helping him pay for his shop as they were usually unfamiliar with driving in the snow and tore out their transmissions. Rebuilding transmissions was his after-hours specialty. After 42 years as a mechanic, he retired in 1988.
For 30 years Jack escaped the bitter North Dakota winters driving to Sun Vista RV Resort in Yuma, Ariz. With this transition he could golf 12 months a year. In addition to his love of golf, especially the Northern League Senior Circuit, he also played basketball for 25 years for the Cardinals and the Langdon Aces, an independent team. He is remembered for his full-court shot as the buzzer sounded that won the game in the Langdon gym and for his left-handed hook shot. While playing baseball for the American Legion, he usually manned third base and was proud of his unassisted triple play.
Jack served as Langdon Fire Chief and volunteer fireman for many years stating that his worst fire was his alma mater the old Langdon High School, a fire that started in the roof. They saved the new portion of the school. Following this fire, he retired at the mandatory age 55 with the only "honorary" designation ever granted by the department. He was instrumental in establishing the retirement fund for the firemen. Jack also served as volunteer basketball coach of the "B" Squad at St. Alphonsus for several years.
He was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3454, and Langdon Country Club.
Jack is survived by his children: Pat (Tony) Lorenz of Kennewick,Wash.; Joan (Tom) Dodd of Langdon, N.D.; Ray (Lorinne Chance) Banasik of Spokane, Wash.; Ron of Cincinnati, OH; Janis of Bismarck, N.D.; sister Donna Foreman of Tulsa, Okla.; brother Allyn (Laurie) of Fargo, N.D.; brother-in-law Gene Lowery of Tulsa, Okla.; family friend Nancy Neuhardt; nine grandchildren; Jenne Finnigan, Angela Rothrock, Tracy Stewart, Casey John (C.J.) Skyberg, Elizabeth Johnson, Brent Banasik, Ruth Klein, Brianne Lawson and Austin Klein and seventeen great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. Jack was very close to the Wilhelmi family and will be missed at their annual Laughlin Winter get-togethers. Preceding Jack in death are wife lone, his parents, sisters Elda Felix and Lucille Lowery, brothers Orville and Gordon Banasik, sisters-in-law Eva Banasik and Joan Banasik, brothers-in-law Guy Felix and Robert Foreman, and special friend Janet Dosmann.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Alphonsus Catholic Endowment Foundation, 209 10th Ave., Langdon, N.D. 58249 or Cavalier County Meals on Wheels 211 8th Ave., Langdon, N.D. 58249.
Purchasing his first car at 13 with money he earned from his paper route selling papers for ten cents apiece, Jack went on to own 90 vehicles that he could list and describe. His favorite was a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air four-door, hard-top purchased brand new. He also enjoyed driving, fishing, boating and camping throughout North Dakota (Mt. Carmel Dam), Minnesota (Cass Lake) and Canada (Morden, Killarney) in his 1938 REO Land Yacht/Bus.
After graduating from Langdon High School in 1943, at age 17 Jack enlisted in the Navy Air Force during World War II. He was stationed in the South Pacific, Galapagos Islands, Panama, and Trinidad. In a Martin PBM Mariner patrol bomber flying boat, their 13-man Navy Squadron VDP-204 patrolled the Panama Canal and the U.S. coastline for any signs of the enemy submarine activity and protected convoys. The Mariner galley was appreciated on 24-hour missions which included being guided in the dark only by radar. As Plane Captain, Jack was responsible for ten men. Some missions involved landing in the ocean and swimming to shore and back. He was honorably discharged in 1946 at the rank of Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class and was awarded the WWII Victory Medal. Returning to Langdon by train from Minneapolis after his discharge, Jack could not enter a bar because he was seven months shy of his 21st birthday. After the war, he spent one year at Jamestown College.
On June 18, 1949, at St. Alphonsus Church Jack married Ione Mary Wilhelmi, a teacher residing at her family farm in Loma, N.D. They were married for 61 years until Ione passed away July 21, 2010. They had five children: Pat, Joan, Ray, Ron and Jan.
As a mechanic Jack worked for Ramage and Son, Langdon Motors (GM) and started his own business north of town, Banasik Motors, in 1972. He credited the missile people who came from down South for helping him pay for his shop as they were usually unfamiliar with driving in the snow and tore out their transmissions. Rebuilding transmissions was his after-hours specialty. After 42 years as a mechanic, he retired in 1988.
For 30 years Jack escaped the bitter North Dakota winters driving to Sun Vista RV Resort in Yuma, Ariz. With this transition he could golf 12 months a year. In addition to his love of golf, especially the Northern League Senior Circuit, he also played basketball for 25 years for the Cardinals and the Langdon Aces, an independent team. He is remembered for his full-court shot as the buzzer sounded that won the game in the Langdon gym and for his left-handed hook shot. While playing baseball for the American Legion, he usually manned third base and was proud of his unassisted triple play.
Jack served as Langdon Fire Chief and volunteer fireman for many years stating that his worst fire was his alma mater the old Langdon High School, a fire that started in the roof. They saved the new portion of the school. Following this fire, he retired at the mandatory age 55 with the only "honorary" designation ever granted by the department. He was instrumental in establishing the retirement fund for the firemen. Jack also served as volunteer basketball coach of the "B" Squad at St. Alphonsus for several years.
He was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3454, and Langdon Country Club.
Jack is survived by his children: Pat (Tony) Lorenz of Kennewick,Wash.; Joan (Tom) Dodd of Langdon, N.D.; Ray (Lorinne Chance) Banasik of Spokane, Wash.; Ron of Cincinnati, OH; Janis of Bismarck, N.D.; sister Donna Foreman of Tulsa, Okla.; brother Allyn (Laurie) of Fargo, N.D.; brother-in-law Gene Lowery of Tulsa, Okla.; family friend Nancy Neuhardt; nine grandchildren; Jenne Finnigan, Angela Rothrock, Tracy Stewart, Casey John (C.J.) Skyberg, Elizabeth Johnson, Brent Banasik, Ruth Klein, Brianne Lawson and Austin Klein and seventeen great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. Jack was very close to the Wilhelmi family and will be missed at their annual Laughlin Winter get-togethers. Preceding Jack in death are wife lone, his parents, sisters Elda Felix and Lucille Lowery, brothers Orville and Gordon Banasik, sisters-in-law Eva Banasik and Joan Banasik, brothers-in-law Guy Felix and Robert Foreman, and special friend Janet Dosmann.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Alphonsus Catholic Endowment Foundation, 209 10th Ave., Langdon, N.D. 58249 or Cavalier County Meals on Wheels 211 8th Ave., Langdon, N.D. 58249.