Willis Dale Bankhead

Willis Dale Bankhead, known fondly as “Mr.B” or “Popoose”, was born to the late Walter and Idell Bankhead on July 12, 1937 in Springhill, Louisiana. He was known for having 2 birth dates, the other being June 7, 1937. The running joke with Mr. B was that “If you miss my first
birthday, you can catch me on the second one.” He departed this life on August 7th, 2020, at
Riverwalk Nursing Home in Noblesville, IN at the age of 83, after fighting a long illness.

He served his country proudly by enlisting in the United States Army in 1962. During his service, he was employed as a butcher and he was awarded medals for his skills as a
sharpshooter and also for good conduct. After his honorable discharge from service, he was later employed with Monarch Buick as a Master Mechanic. Later, he would receive the job of his dream as an over-the-road truck driver for Yellow Freight Trucking Company where he was employed for over 25 years. He loved to travel all over the United States and Canada with the company. His CB Radio handle was “DJ”, due to his love of music. He was known for making cassette recordings and playing his music loudly in the truck.

In his later years, he was known for his love of auto mechanics. The one request that he had for purchasing his home was, “I want the garage to be larger than the house.” This hobby ultimately evolved Mr. B’s garage into becoming the family and neighborhood mechanic. His greatest joy was his ability to diagnose a problem by the sound it made. He was able to get any make or model of car up and running, even a FORD (Fix-Or-Repair-Daily).

He was preceded in death by siblings, Bernice Edwards, Odell Gipson, Oliver (Jack) Bankhead, Irece Bankhead and Accie Bankhead, Sr.

He leaves to cherish his memory loving children: Timothy (Bonnie) Bankhead, Cordia Bankhead, Kenneth (Keyshia) Bankhead, Valerie Bankhead-Glenn, Tonya Bankhead, Konjeta (Bryant) Burks-Davis; sisters: Mary (Willie) Harris, Lottie (TJ) Bronson and Gracie Edwards. Brothers: George Bankhead and Donald (Charlene) Bankhead.

The special children who considered Mr. B to be “Dad”: William Jessup, Maryann Turner, Michele Hodges, Ebony Bankhead, Tisha Evans, Shemeka Carr, Brittany and Trinity.

His special Life Partner: Beverly (Ma Belle) Evans; and a host of loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 14 at Indiana Funeral Care, Harry W Moore Chapel. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until service time. Willis will be laid to rest at a later date at Marion National Cemetery.