Marilyn Margaret (Dierker) Banks, age 93, of Avon, Indiana, passed away peacefully on September 3, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Born on August 3, 1933, in Havana, Illinois, to Rudolph Dierker and Margaret (Zurhorst) Dierker and baptized September 1, 1933, in Bath, IL, Marilyn was an adored wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend.

Marilyn married her beloved high school sweetheart ,William G. Banks on June 6, 1954, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bath, IL. They shared an extraordinary 72-year marriage grounded in love, devotion, faith, and family.

She attended the one-room Matanzas School and graduated from Bath Lynchburg High School in 1951, then served as an office assistant for the Havana School District #126. Marilyn later earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Illinois State University in 1964 and went on to pursue a more than 25-year career in Elementary Education before retiring in 1993.

Marilyn was always active and willing to help. She always had a prayer-request list on her kitchen counter and was a support to many through her consistent companionship and encouragement. Friends and family would describe her as an excellent hostess who enjoyed serving meals to the people she loved, of course followed with a homemade dessert. Marilyn was also known for her wonderful orange rolls which, in her always detail-oriented fashion, required hours to perfect each time. She always loved serving her friends and family regardless of the time or effort it took to prepare. She and her husband, Bill enjoyed spending winters in Myrtle Beach, SC after they both retired.

Marilyn’s faith was an essential part of her entire life. She attended and was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bath, IL. Marilyn was a devoted member of the Messiah Lutheran Church congregation in Brownsburg, IN, Mary Martha Bible Study, and Older Wiser Lutherans (OWLS) group with Bill. She was a faithful leader for her entire family and many friends and will be remembered for her love of the Lord.

Marilyn (Dierker) Banks was preceded in death by her husband William G. Banks; her son Brian W. Banks; her parents Rudolph Dierker and Margaret (Zurhorst) Dierker; her siblings Frances (Robert) Sarff, Robert (Hellon) Dierker, Gerald Dierker, and Wayne (Dorothy) Dierker.

She is survived by daughter-in-law Darlene (Lane) Banks, grandchildren Andrew Banks and Riley (Devin) Guard; and many other family and friends who loved her dearly.

A visitation will be held on Friday, September 25, 2026 from 11 am to 12 noon at Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 S. Green St, Brownsburg, IN 46112, with a celebration of life service to follow at 12 noon. A private family celebration of life and burial will be held at the gravesite in Havana, IL at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, One Oakbrook Terrace Suite 501, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, an organization that was very special to Marilyn because it blessed her with the opportunity of being a mother.