George Bane Autobiography - Intro

My grandfather, George Alexander Bane, was born on January 29, 1921.
These are his memoirs, handwritten in pencil on numerous legal pads found
in the house that he and his wife, Helen Juanita Burns Bane, lived in for over
50 years. George and Juanita were married on March 20, 1948, and together
raised two daughters, Patricia Carol Bane Reid, born February 4, 1954 and
Linda Ann Bane Antoine, born August 3, 1959. At the time these memoirs
were written, George had three grandchildren, Christopher Joel Reid, Erica
Noelle Reid Gerdes, and Matthew Brett Antoine. A fourth grandchild, Scott
Patrick Antoine, was born after.

After retiring from the military and Corps of Engineers, Papaw started his
own Two-Way Radio company named Banecom. He had a little office in a
tiny strip mall that I remember going to as a kid. He apprenticed my father,
George David Reid, teaching him radio installation and repair, and when Papaw
become unable to continue, my father took the business over completely.

My Papaw was a very sweet and quiet man. He was stern but loving, and he
had giant hands that he would put on our little heads which would seem to
crush us. I would sit in his lap, he would always ask me how my dance classes
were going, and I would kiss his rugged cheeks. We felt so special when he let
us into his workroom above the garage, and we would watch him communicate
with his friends via Morse Code with wide eyed fascination.

Papaw was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1991, around the time these
memoirs were written. In the text, he talks about how our memories are a
blessing from God, yet he slowly and frustratingly lost all of his. George A
Bane passed away in his home on October 12, 1994.

Finding these memoirs was like finding a pot of gold. I am happy that his
memory can live on in his own words for generations to come. I hope that
you enjoy this little peek into a fascinating life.

Erica Reid Gerdes
April 2009

Read the whole autobiography here on the website.

Download the autobiography as a 19 MB PDF.

View photos of the Bane family on Flickr.

Purchase a printed copy of the book at Lulu.