SERVICE

Friday, February 13, 2026

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Alice Taylor King Chapel

Austin, TX

VISITATION

Thursday, February 12, 2026

3:00 PM - 6:00 Pm

King Tears Mortuary

Austin, TX

INTERMENT

Cook Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery

Austin, TX

Cecile Banks of Austin, Texas passed away Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was a resident of Austin, Texas since 1967 and moved to Wichita Falls, Texas in December 2012 due to Illness.

Cecile was born on March 6, 1931 in Cooper, Texas to the union of V.O. and Velma Battle. She was the third oldest of six daughters: Cara Jean, Mary Lee, Willie Faye, Dorothy Maye, and O’Linda Raye.

Her early school years were in Cooper, Texas (Grades 1st thru 10th ) and after the death of her father the family moved to Wichita Falls, Texas where she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in the Class of 1947 with her sister Mary Lee. She attended Butler College in Tyler, Texas where she received her B.S. Degree-Cum Laude. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. She held a Supervision Certificate. She completed additional graduate work at S.M.U., Dallas, Texas; Sul Ross, Alpine, Texas, and University of Texas, Austin, Texas.

Cecile was a military wife and a world traveler. She taught school in Sculthorpe, England before returning to the states. After she moved to Austin, Texas in 1967 she united with Ebenezer (Third) Baptist Church. She taught 33 years in education in the U.S.A.. Cecile taught 3rd grade for several years before spending nine years in administration as an Instructional Coordinator in the Austin Independent School District. She was assigned 12 schools and approximately 375 teachers to work with and evaluate. She loved that because she had so much to offer the new teachers and praised the others for their good work. She also presented workshop to the teachers from the educational companies affiliated with AISD.

Cecile retired from AISD to be a helper for her husband William Banks. She learned to be a good nurse. Since her retirement she was active in many organizations and worked very hard to keep things going properly. To name a few, she worked with the following and enjoyed them: Ebenezer Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir and bulletin board, Austin Retired Teachers Association, American Association for Retired People, National Council of Negro Women (Life Member and historian), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.(Golden Life Member, Delta Dear, Delta of the Year 1996, historian), Austin Capital City Lioness Club (President 1984), Austin Capital Evening Lions Club (Life Member). She was a 2008 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame Nominee.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, her husband William Douglas (Nick) Banks, and her half-sister Marvalene Hopkins.

She is survived by her sister O’Linda Raye Barnett (Edgar), and a host of nephews and nieces.

Cecile had a profound love for her family. Her nephews and nieces were the love of her life “The More the Merrier.” She had many long term friends and loved all children that she knew and wanted them all to succeed.