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Anna Zelko Banner, 102, long-time resident of Elizabethton, Tenn., passed away in the loving arms of her daughter in Rapid City, S.D. She was born August 1, 1918 in Johnstown, Pa., to the late Martin and Catherine Buso Zelko. She was the oldest of nine children.
Anna was a registered nurse for 60 years, beginning as an Army Nurse during WWII. She continued her career at the Franklin Clinic, Carter County Memorial Hospital and retired from the Mountain Home Veterans Administration.
Anna was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Johnson City, Tenn. She was also a long-time member of Elizabethton B&PW and Carter County Democratic Women.
Survivors include her son, Skip (Claudia) Banner, Virginia Beach, Va.; daughter, Ruth Stabile, Rapid City, S.D.; and grandchildren, David (Michelle) Banner, Virginia Beach, Kevin, Canton, Ga., Robin Gasser (Mark), Virginia Beach, Travis (Sherye) Jones, Southbury, Conn., and Curtis Jones, Rapid City, S.D. Great-grandchildren include Hunter Banner, Chesapeake, Va., Devin Banner, Augusta, Ga., Brooke Gasser, Virginia Beach, Dylan Banner, Canton, Ga., Waylon Jones, Rapid City, S.D., Martin Jones, Sturgis, S.D., Shelby Wyatt and Cody Jones of Southbury, Conn. One cute great-great-grandson, Drew Banner, of Chesapeake, Va., also survives. Surviving brothers are Daniel Zelko of Michigan and Edwin Zelko of Pennsylvania. Several nieces and nephews and her long-time friends and neighbors, Christine Eller and Edna Williams, also survive.
Anna was preceded in death by her husband, Herrmann, January 7, 1998; son-in-law, Paul Stabile; her parents; and six siblings: brothers, George, John, Martin, Robert and Albert, and one sister, Eleanor Church.
Funeral services will be Sunday, August 1, at 2 p.m., with one hour visitation prior to the service at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 201 E. Watauga Ave., Johnson City, Tenn., with Pastor Paul Becker officiating and Craig Campbell as organist. Entombment will follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park, Mausoleum of Hope. Active pallbearers will be David Banner, Kevin Banner, Travis Jones, Curtis Jones, Dylan Banner and Devin Banner. Honorary pallbearers will be her church family. A reception will follow entombment in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Anna’s memory. Condolences may be sent to our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Banner family.