Belvidere, ILMelvin L. Banks, 88, Belvidere died peacefully Thursday morning, September 7, 2006.Melvin was born on December 31, 1917 near Kirkland; the son of Lloyd Banks and Ila Strawn Banks. He met his future wife, Mildred Irvin, at a barn dance in Boone County, and they were married at her parent's home in Poplar Grove on September 2, 1939.He lived over seventy years north of Kirkland, before moving to Belvidere. Since 1988, he and Mildred enjoyed their second home in Sun City, near Tucson, Arizona. Every day, from their patio, they could view the mountains, so close, and enjoy drives through the spectacular scenery, surrounding Tucson.He was involved in farming all of his life, until he had his farm machinery auction in 1999. After that, he still loved farming. Melvin illustrated the old saying, "You can take the boy away from the farm, but you can't take the farm away from the boy." Melvin graduated from Kirkland High School and attended DeKalb College and the University of Illinois.He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Kirkland, Bel-Mar Country Club of Belvidere, a charter member of Kirkland Lion's Club, and a member of the Boone CO. Farm Bureau. He was also a member of the Sun City Vistoso's Men's Golf Club and he bowled on a number of bowling leagues..Melvin served on the Board of Directors of the Belvidere National Bank and Trust Company for Twenty-Two years. He was a member of the first board of directors that organized the Boone County Conservation District, and served the board for 16 years and as president three different times.Melvin was owner-operator of P.A.G. Garden Prairie Inc., and shared ownership of the Garden Prairie Grain Co. He served as vice president of Pfyster Associated Growers at Aurora, Illinois. That was in the early days of growing Hybrid Seed Corn. Every year, many young people in this area had a job, detasseling corn.Melvin loved golfing, bowling, fishing and traveling with his wife. He and Mildred traveled many places, home and abroad, both on tours and on their own.Melvin had a great sense of humor. If you ran into him, and began visiting; current news, the weather, or any thing, his first response would be humorous, and would make you laugh.He will be missed by his beloved wife, Mildred, a sister, Floy Lane and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Marlyn. His gentle and kind ways will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

If friends so desire, and in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Boone County Conservation District.