Jess Wilbanks, 83, of Hallsburg, Texas passed away on Monday January 4, 2010 in Waco, Texas. Memorial services will be 11:00 am Thursday Jan. 7 at the Bellmead Funeral Home Chapel with a brief graveside ceremony to follow immediately at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 pm Wednesday January 6, at the funeral home. Jess, loving husband, father and grandfather, was born on February 26, 1926 to the late Jess Wilbanks, Sr. and Ella Mae Hall Wilbanks and was the youngest of three siblings. He lived on the family farm all of his life in a home built in 1904 by his grandfather, Dr. W.E. Hall, for whom Hallsburg was named. In addition to remodeling his home, Jess kept up and remodeled the barn built in 1884 and built a beautiful gazebo at his lake. He ran a dairy farm then worked at Waco Hardware until his retirement in 1986. Jess was an active and productive member of the community as he served on the School Board for over 20 years and for the Hallsburg Volunteer Fire Department for many more. Jess, his sister, Dorothy Crozier and his wife, Margie donated the land and helped build the First Baptist Church and pavilion in Hallsburg, Texas. An avid outdoorsman, he loved hunting, fishing, bird watching, collecting antiques and building things. One of his favorite activities was to gather up family and friends to have a fish fry. Jess was known as a hard working family man who had a good heart. He was loved and will be missed by all. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Virginia Goebel. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Margie Childs Wilbanks, a son, Jess Russell (Rusty) Wilbanks and his wife, Julie, a daughter, Robyn Elizabeth Wilbanks Henry and her husband, Allen, all of Hallsburg, a sister, Dorothy Crozier of Waco, four grandchildren; Jessica, Jenna, Erin and Ryan, other close relatives, numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Pallbearers will be Ryan Montgomery, John Goebel, Jeremy Goebel, Mike Lowe, Donnie Lowe and Grant Goebel. The family would like to give special thanks to the Ridgecrest Skilled Nursing Facility and Bluebonnet Hospice for your wonderful assistance and display of compassion and kindness during the short amount of time our loved one was under your care. In lieu of flowers, memorials or donations may be made to the Hallsburg VFD.