Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend Pamela June Banister passed away peacefully on April 15th, 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Pam was born on September 6, 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska the daughter of George C. and Bernice R. Steinert.
Pam graduated from Westside High in Omaha. An avid lover of art and teaching, she continued her education at the University of Omaha and graduated in 1966 with a degree in Art Education. She went on to work in the Washington School District for over 25 years at many schools including Mountain View, Cholla, Orangewood, Sweetwater, and Washington.
In 1970, Pam married Al Banister. In 1973, the two had a son, Brian. Pam and Al lived in Anchorage, Alaska while Al was serving in the U.S. Army. They also lived in Round Rock, Texas for a time, but Arizona was home most of the time through the years and Scottsdale is where they settled in 2001.
Pam loved to camp with her family and spent much time enjoying the state's lakes and rivers. She held an interest in watercolor, working on it from time to time. After retiring in 1997, she remained active in the community with the Round Rock YMCA, the Red Hat Society, and giving guided tours at Taliesin West. She loved to travel, taking multiple trips to Europe with her friends. Pam liked to meet new people and keep busy. She would often talk to strangers about her granddaughter and what she was up to.
Pam is survived by her husband Al, son Brian, daughter-in-law Melissa, granddaughter Madelyn, brother Doug Steinert, and sister-in-law Sandy Steinert.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on April 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary in Scottsdale, AZ. Instead of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Her legacy lives in her students who she shared her passion for art with, and those of us who keep her spirit alive in our kindness to others.
For those unable to attend, the service will be live-streamed at the following link: https://vimeo.com/700898313
Tributes
Diana Price wrote on Apr 19, 2022:
"Pam and I had known each other since our Westside High School days. We had such good times during those years. Unfortunately we lost contact while attending different colleges but in 1966 after graduating and purely by accident, we met up and rekindled our friendship in Phoenix. I was in she and Al?s wedding and from there we went on to have great times with our children. We continued our friendship, getting together whenever we could, after my family and I moved from Phoenix to Texas in 1980. I will always remember Pam?s beautiful smile, her positive disposition, and our friendship over the years, but most of all I will miss her personally. My thoughts and prayers are with Al, Brian and the rest of her family. In loving memory, Diana Burton Price"