BANKS, Phyllis K. (Kelly) Age 83 of Lowell, MA passed away on May 30 after a courageous battle with cancer. Beloved mother of Patricia Morris of Lowell, Paul Banks Jr. and his wife Debbie of Salem, NH, Linda Banks-Santilli and her husband Rick of Waltham, and Michael Banks and his wife Christine of Norwood. Dear sister of Helen Nickerson of Woburn, John “Pat” Kelly and his wife Patty of Arlington, Sheila Worley and her husband Gary of CA, and the late Edward, James, and Gerald Kelly and Mary and her husband Joe Finneran and Joan Arena. Cherished grandmother of Keith, Michael, Paul III, Ashley, James, Chloe, Erin and Justin. Great grandmother to Adam, Kailey, and Colleen. Aunt to many cherished nieces and nephews. Phyllis was born and raised in Cambridge, MA and graduated from the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and was a member of the Blessed Sacrament Church. She worked in the banking industry after graduation at the Harvard Trust Company and later held part-time positions while raising her children.
Phyllis raised her family in Billerica, MA and later retired to Lowell. She was an advocate for the working class, and she always stood up for police, fire fighters and teachers. She enjoyed visiting Cape Cod in the summers with her sisters and their children and maintained friendships with high school classmates Ellen Shea and Bea Sunderland into her 80s. She loved the ocean, discussing local politics, an annual boiled dinner, and occasional trips to the casino, but most of all spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Throughout her life she traveled to New York City, Florida, Washington D.C., North Carolina, California, Las Vegas and to Ireland. The matriarch of our family, she was a strong, proud, and private person with sound values, an iron will, a good sense of humor and a big heart. We will miss her terribly.
Funeral Mass Monday, June 3 at 11:30 am in St. Agnes Church, 51 Medford Street, Arlington. Committal to follow at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge. Donations may be made in Phyllis’s memory to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Attention: Tribute Program, Tribute # 33660345, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148. Arrangements under the care of The DeVito-O’Donnell Funeral Home ARLINGTON.