Robert Thomas "Tom" Banta

Indianapolis resident, Robert Thomas Banta age 88 died peacefully at home on September 8, 2021, from cancer-related complications. Tom is survived by his wife Shirley J. Banta, his three children Bob Banta, Diana West and Tracey Bowen (Jeff), and his sister Nancy Shirley and his brother Oral Banta, and grandchildren Jessica Barton (Chris), Evan West, Jordan Bowen, and Conor Banta, and great grandchildren Dayne Barton and Mallery Barton.

Tom was born in his grandmother Lucy Gregory’s house in Washington, Indiana, on August 8, 1933, to Ralph and Thelma Banta. Tom graduated from Washington High School in 1951 and moved to Indianapolis in 1952 and he spent several years while working a full-time job studying fine art at the John Herron Art School.

Tom married Shirley Jean Moore in 1955 and remained married to her for 66 years. In 1953, Tom started working at Chrysler’s auto plant on the east side of Indianapolis where he worked for the following 35 years eventually retiring in 1988 to spend the next 33 years living in retirement. Tom was a proud member of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1226 joining the UAW in 1953.

One of Tom’s passions in life was the study of genealogy. Tom spent many years systematically researching his family history as well as other friends and family members’ genealogies. He was a proud life member of the Holland Society of New York, a historical and genealogical society founded in 1885 to collect and preserve information about the history and settlement of New Netherland. Membership in the Holland Society of New York consists of male and female descendants in the direct male line of an ancestor who lived in New Netherland before or during 1675. Tom was admitted to the Holland Society of New York in 1976.

In addition to his study of genealogy, Tom was an avid reader and liked to travel to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill Kentucky and to the coast of Maine for vacations. Tom was an experienced bowler and kept bowling well into his seventies. Tom lived in the Broad Ripple Village neighborhood for several decades and for several years was frequently seen out and about walking his beloved dog, Gizmo.

A calling for Tom will be held at Flanner Buchanan-Broad Ripple, 1305 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis on Friday September 17, 2021 from 10 am to 12 pm. Online condolences may be shared at www.flannerbuchanan.com.