Obituary of Elizabeth Anne Bannister

Elizabeth (Beth) A. Bannister, age 87, of Woodbury, Connecticut, died peacefully following a brief illness on December 4, 2020, in the loving presence of her family. Born Elizabeth Anne Craddock on May 24, 1933 in Toronto, she was the daughter of the late Elizabeth Maude Robson Craddock and Hammond James Craddock of Oakville,Ontario. Beth was crowned Miss Oakville in high school and attended the Toronto Conservatory of Music, where she pursued her love of music and piano. When the education and career of her loving husband, John Douglas Bannister,brought him to MIT for his PhD in 1959, she became an American citizen,raising her family in Dover, Massachusetts and eventually Summit, New Jersey. As a longstanding member of Central Presbyterian Church in Summit,she was an enthusiastic participant in the voice and bell choirs, planned countless potluck dinners and fundraising activities, and served as a Stephen Minister. Kindness and compassion being two of her greatest strengths, Beth was honored to help others in their times of need. In addition to providing comfort and care to those in her church and community through the years, she volunteered with hospice, through Overlook Hospital, the American Cancer Society and the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center. An avid gardener, she tended to her own beautiful plants and flowers, and volunteered for the Reeves Reed Arboretum in Summit, where she helped cultivate one of the largest daffodil collections in New Jersey, celebrated each Spring on Daffodil Day. Following the untimely death of her beloved husband in 1974, Beth set about bringing up three young children on her own. She combined her love of needlework, and her entrepreneurial spirit, to create a home business teaching children and adults how to make pillows and other personalized home decor. She joined the Fortnightly Club of Summit, and belonged to a local women’s group, which met monthly at the UN to discuss funding for various international programs and policies. Beth later became an office manager for an inventory software management company in New Jersey and in years to follow served as a remote customer service specialist for a software company based in the UK, where she worked until her retirement in 2018 at age 85. A passionate patron of the arts, she frequently attended performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The American Ballet Theater, Broadway theaters and also supported local theater playhouses in the Summit and Short Hills communities. Beth traveled extensively, and always delighted in nurturing the lifelong friendships she formed and hosting family and holiday celebrations. Her fondness for all creatures was evident - she particularly loved riding horses, raised many dogs, and supported the ASPCA and other local rescue organizations. She is survived by daughters Catherine Elizabeth Bannister Faulkner of Woodbury CT and Nancy Bannister Doran (Brett) of New York, NY and Bridgewater CT, son James Douglas Bannister (Naomi) of Canterbury, Kent UK, as well as her six grandchildren: Brynn Bannister, Makena and Ryan Doran, Holly, Zach and Elodie Bannister. Beth’s remarkable life and legacy will be celebrated at a future date in a graveside service at Fair Mount Cemetery in Chatham, New Jersey, where she will reunite with her late husband for eternity. Central Presbyterian Church pastors will preside over the services. In lieu of flowers, dedicated donations can be made to RVNA Health Hospice, 27 Governor Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, RVNAhealth.org , (Tribute Type: RVNA Health ComfortWELL Hospice, Tribute Name: Elizabeth Bannister) 203-438-5555. To sign her online guest register, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com