A dearest mother, beloved wife, and sister; Mrs. Ruth Carson Banner, 81 of 2508 Druid Hills Drive was born in December of 1926 in Advance, NC to Hubert and Laura Carson. She was the first of her siblings to be born in North Carolina. Ruth departed this life on Friday, July 25, 2008 in Winston-Salem, NC.

She completed her formal education in Advance, Mocksville, Troutman, and Winston-Salem, NC. She was a graduate of Atkins High School, Class of 1945 and continued her formal education in Dillard's Practical Nursing Classes.

Ruth was a devout and faithful member of Union Baptist Church and was active in numerous church and community organizations. Among these were: Ideal Community Club (Martin Luther King Recreation Center), Union Baptist Church Deaconess Choir, Volunteer with the Black Repertory Theatre Festival, Forsyth Hospital/Feel Good Friday's, Winston-Salem Central Tax Volunteers, AT & T Telecom Pioneers, W-S Night Out Community Watch Program, and the Greenway Community Club. She also was a loyal member of the Meridian Chapter #308, Order of the Easter Stars, King Solomon No. 64 Order of the Golden Circle, PHA.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John and Harmon Carson; her son, Reginald A. Banner; two sisters-in-law, Ann and Barbara Carson; and one brother-in-law, Alanavious Johnson.

Left to cherish many wonderful and dear memories of a life that touched the hearts of so many are her loving husband of 60 years, Vanwood Banner, Sr.; loving and devoted sons, Vanwood (Vanessa) Banner, Jr. and Purcell Banner; loving and devoted daughters, Lauretta Banner Webb and Rosalind Banner; loving brothers, Albert Carson, Leon (Willie Mae) Carson and Ernest (Brenda) Carson; loving sisters, Emogene Johnson all of Winston-Salem, NC and Mildred (Robert) Burgess of Rochester, NY; a sister-in-law, Regina Carson of Winston-Salem, NC; grandchildren, La'Crystal Webb Nelson (Carroll) of Okinawa, Japan, Keith A. Webb and William Webb of Winston-Salem, NC, Claitonio Webb of Durham, NC, Brian Banner (Eboni) Henderson of Rochester, NY, Alexander Banner, Tiara Howard and Noah Howard all of Winston-Salem, NC; great-grandchildren, Deja Webb and Nathan Henderson; and numerous devoted nephews, nieces, cousins, and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 1pm Saturday, August 2, 2008 from the Union Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Sir Walter Mack, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens. The family visitation will be held from 6pm-8pm Friday, August 1, 2008 at Union Baptist Church.