SUNRISE: January 18, 1960 – SUNSET: May 20, 2020

Jessie B. Bankhead Jr.

Celebration of the Lifeof

Friday, May 29, 2020

12:30 p.m.

Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton9107 Pine View Lane

Clinton, MD 20735

Pastor James W. Jones, Jr.

Jessie B. Bankhead Jr. was born January 18, 1960 as the tenth child of Jessie B. and Maggie

Harris Bankhead. He grew up in a framing community of Cotton Valley Louisiana. He departed

this life on May 20, 2020 as a result of complications related to the coronavirus. He accepted

Christ at Hope Well Baptist Church in Cotton Valley Louisiana at the age of 6. Jessie attended

Carrie Martin Elementary school where he enjoyed learning and interacting with his siblings,

cousins and school friends. At Plain Dealing High School, he excelled academically in student

government, sports, chorus and a member of the National Honor Society. His musical abilities

led him to sing the national anthem at his high school graduation. Earning a full ride scholarship

for his athletic capabilities in 1978 he attended and graduated from Grambling State University.

In the spring of his freshman year at Grambling State he met who would become his soul mate

and life partner. Rebecca Smoot was his girlfriend through college. They were both 18 years old

and at age sixty they have been married for 36 years. Jessie received a Bachelor of Science

Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. Rebecca received a Bachelor

of Science Degree in Political Science.

Jessie enjoyed traveling and the couple has visited seven islands in the Caribbean, traveled to

Greece, Turkey, Italy, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Rome and Paris. They also visited more than 20 states

in the United Sates.

After Graduation on July 16, 1983 Jessie and Rebecca were married in Madison, West Virginia at

her church home Zion Baptist Church. The couple settled into married life in Bernice, Louisiana

where Jessie began working with his brother, Edward Bankhead as the manager of the Willow

Village housing complex. He would later start a career with Church’s Chicken where he worked

for six years before moving to Clinton, Maryland, and beginning a career with his Landscaping

Business and as a transit driver in the last four years with his brother-in-law, Alfred Smoot. Jessie

continued to operate his landscaping business and enjoyed both responsibilities equally.

In the spring of 1996, the couple adopted Andrew and he remains the center of the pride and joy

for the family. Jessie spent a lot of time helping Andrew with a murid of responsibilities to

include how to run a landscaping business and how to become a God-Fearing Christian man. He

and Andrew attended Wizard Basketball games, Bankhead Family reunions, fishing trips and Boy

scout camping trips. He was a patient father that wanted the best for his children. Jessie and

Rebecca had a hand in helping with the partial raising of several children to include Rebecca’s

cousins, Demetrius and April, Melvin Jefferey Wilson and Darlene Carroll.

Obituary

B. Bankhead Jr.

He loved the Lord and was a faithful Christian. The Bankhead’s are members

of Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton, where Jessie sang in the male chorus.

His recent responsibilities as a transit worker robbed him of participating

in the chorus as he once did. He is known as a happy, smiling warm

hearted man and the world will be a little less pleasant with his

passing. He greeted everyone with a smile and was willing to help

people if he could. He loved his family and talked to them almost

daily.

Jessie was an avid sports fan who loved football and could

be found in front of a television or viewing a game on the

phone every Thursday – Monday. He was a Washington

Redskins fan that coached the coaches from his recliner.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie B.

Bankhead, Sr, mother, Maggie Harris Bankhead, sisters

Alberta Bankhead, Lillie Mae Hall, brothers-in-law,

Ricky Joe Chapman, Marvin Whittaker, his father-in-law

and mentor, Thomas Miller.

Jessie leaves to mourn his passing his wife Rebecca, his son Andrew, brothers: Edward Bankhead

(Shelia), Wesley Bankhead (Melinda), Herman Bankhead (Pam), sisters: Leola Thompson (Phillip),

Bessie Whittaker, Margret Chapman, Josie Moore (Orlando), Sarah Martin, Judy Tatum (Elston),

and mother-n-law, T. Jean Miller. A large group of nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews,

cousins and community friends form the Hope Well Cotton Valley Community. A host of friends

from college, the Plum Way community, Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton, Metro Washington

Transit Authority, Circulator Transit Authority, Prince Georges County School System, Grambling

State University, the Davis family. Close family friends, Napoleon Martin and Eugene Lindsey.

::

Celebrating the Life of

Jessie B. Bankhead Jr.Pastor James W. Jones, Jr., Officiating

The Order of ServicePrelude

Processional

Opening Prayer Pastor James W. Jones, Jr.

Selection “Let The Church Say Amen”

Scripture Reading: Pamulas Kennedy,

Old Testament - Psalms 34:18 Neice

New Testament – 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18

2nd Corinthians 1:3-12

Reading of the Obituary Alfred Smoot,

Brother-in-Law

Acknowledgements & Church Resolutions Marcus Smoot,

Nephew

Selection Greteeda Holiday,

Neice

Eulogy Pastor James W. Jones, Jr.

Recessional

IntermentHeritage Memorial Cemetery

13472 Poplar Hill Road

Waldorf, Maryland

Acknowledgement

IntermentHeritage Memorial Cemetery

13472 Poplar Hill Road

Waldorf, Maryland

Professional ServicesHedgman Funeral Service

7527 Old Alexandria Ferry Rd

Clinton, MD 20735

Programs by:Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton

Brandon Staples

Korey Jackson

Alfred Smoot Jr.

Marcus Smoot

Julian Johnson

Andrew Bankhead

Kamiau Dawson

Pallbearers

The Bankhead Family would like to extends our heartfelt appreciation to the intensive

Care Unit doctors, nurses and staff at Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Pastor James

W. Jones, Jr. and members of Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton, the Eric Sayonkon

family, the University of the District of Columbia family, the Grambling State Football

family, the Grambling family, the Davis family and extended family, Roger and Roxy

Taylor, Moe and Alethia Harris, James Matthew, Namon Williams, the James Fonsville

family, the Eric Williams family, the Compos family, Jerri and Keith Sprigs, the Gould

family, Reggie, Donna and Jessica Harris, the Thompson family and the Bobby Cato

family. We extend our sincere thanks and deep gratitude for all of the expressions of

sympathy and acts of kindness we received during this time of bereavement.