Mrs. Lester Banta, Former Bishop Resident Dies Following Accident

Word was received this week of the death of Mrs. Bertha L. Banta, 
former Bishop resident, following an automobile accident near 
Yerington, Nev.

Funeral services were conducted Monday, March 26 by the Rev. Bill 
Linn and her body was shipped to Medford, Ore. for burial.  
Graveside services were held Tuesday.

Mrs. Banta was critically injured March 22 when the car she was 
driving crashed into one driven by Katherine Hamer, who suffered 
only minor injuries.

Born in Tazewell, Tennessee on September 27, 1902, she moved with 
her family to California at the age of 12.  In 1920 she became 
the bride of Lester T. Banta at Big Pine an with her husband and 
family farmed in the Bishop area until moving to Mason Valley in 
1951.  There they operated the Smith Ranch on the Wabuska highway 
until January of 1955 and then moved to the south end of the 
valley.

In addition to her widower she is survived by three daughters; 
Mrs. Vernon Mason of Fresno, Mrs. DeVotie Goin Jr. of Bishop, and 
four sons; Lester of Bishop, Roger, George and Willard of 
Yerington.  Also three sisters, Iva Dennison and Georgia Willms, 
of Tranquility, Calif., Grace Douty, of Fresno, a brother, Herman 
Reece, of Tranquility, Calif., and a sister-in-law, Mrs. Ada 
Reece of Tranquility.

The Inyo Register, Bishop, Inyo County, California
Thursday, April 5, 1956 – Page three

Transcribed by Denise S. Flynn