Geisel Funeral Directors

Louis Geisel Funeral Home

Branch Office

Russell W. Styer, Supervisor

330 East Pitt St.

Bedford, PA15522

(814) 623-5319

Mickle-Geisel Funeral Home

Main Office

Jack H. Geisel, Jr., F.D., Owner

3779 Pitt St

P.O. Box 68 Schellsburg, PA 15559

(814) 733-4211

Serving Families since 1919

Jack H. Geisel Funeral Home

Original Office

Jack H. Geisel, F.D., Owner

4340 Quaker Valley Rd

Alum Bank, PA 15521

(814)839-2317

I. Irene Sheirer Banner, of 1870 Johnson Road, Chambersburg, died in Manor Care on

Wednesday, May 2, 2007 following complications of the flu. She had been ill since March 10.

She was born in Bard Hollow, Juanita Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of the late Nellie Rachel (Buchanan) and John Foster Sheirer (son of Adam F. And Jane Skelly Franklin) who grew up together on neighboring farms. Following her parents' divorce when she was a young child, both she and her younger brother, James W. Sheirer, were raised by their maternal grandparents, James and Nettie (Clites) Buchanan, while their mother worked in Bedford to support them.

She worked at the Celanese Plant in Cumberland, Maryland, for 7 years prior to moving to Chambersburg in 1949. Although she lived in Chambersburg since that time, her interests and heart remained close to Bard Hollow. In 2006, she wrote a compilation of stories of growing up in Bard Hollow for family and friends which are treasured.

She married Fred W. Banner of Dutch Comer, Bedford, on May 31, 1947 in Winchester,

Virginia, with her brother and sister-in-law, James W. And Bettie Sheirer, as attendants.

Until the time of her illness, she was able to enjoy the simple pleasures such as daily family visits, country rides, calls and letters from family and friends, and reading the current news from the Bedford Gazette newspaper. Among the things she enjoyed most was spending time at the family's summer trailer in Bard Hollow and reconnecting with the land where she was born and raised.

Her friends were very important to her and she maintained close relationships with childhood school friends from the Mowry School in Bard Hollow, which was a one-room school where her uncle, Emmens E. Buchanan, once taught.

Along with her husband, Fred W. Banner, of Chambersburg, she is also survived by two daughters, Judy Ann Banner-Rensch, of Chambersburg, and Nancy G. Redding, (wife of Timothy J. Redding), of Chambersburg. She was also an active grandparent of grandson,

Timothy N. Rensch (husband of Cindy), of Carlisle, and granddaughter, Courtney A. "Cookie"

Redding, of Shippensburg. A 5 month old great-granddaughter, Emily J. Rensch, of Carlisle, also survives.

Irene is also survived by her loving brother, James W. Sheirer, and his wife, Bettie, of Greenville, Pa. She was also proud to become friends and love her half-brothers and half-sisters who are: Donald and wife, Shirley Sheirer of R.D., New Paris; Stanford and wife, Joan Sheirer, of Bedford; 0. Jane and husband, James Calhoun, of Everett; Geraldine and husband Bob Moore of R.D., New Paris, and Sue, half-sister-in-law, wife of the late William Sheirer of Manns Choice. She is also survived by nephews and nieces.

She was valued, appreciated and loved by her family and friends and will be missed immeasurably.

She attended Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church in Bedford County for years and also attended Mt. Union United Methodist Church, Fayetteville.

Funeral services will be held privately at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Bedford County near her family home place at the convenience of her immediate family.

She requested no flowers at her burial and any memorial contributions be sent to Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Association. c/o Donna Smith, 411 Smith Hollow Rd, Buffalo Mills, PA 15534 for the general maintenance of the historic church.