Dr. James E. Banta

Dr. Banta served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 before earning his MD from Marquette University in 1950. He then went on to serve as a Medical Officer in the United States Navy from 1950 to 1960, earning his MPH from Johns Hopkins University in 1954 during this time. He served as a Captain Medical Officer in the United States Public Health Service from 1960 to 1969 before retiring from the United States Public Health Service; during this time he also served as the Medical Director of the Peace Corps from 1963 to 1965.

Dr. Banta later became the Dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA from 1975 to 1987 and continued a long career of higher education teaching. The last position Dr. Banta held was as a Visiting Professor in the School of Public Health and Health Services at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC from 1992 to 2006.

Dr. Banta was a food aficionado who loved good food, cooking, classical music, and reading; he had a special interest in medical journals and historical texts, especially those pertaining to the Civil War.

He is preceded in death by his parents, James Banta, Sr. and Edna Mae Banta.

He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Gladys Alva Banta; his daughters, Susan Jennifer Campbell (Brent) and Wendy Banta Parnham (the late Thomas Sr.); his grandchildren, Thomas Parnham Jr. (Karis), Taylor Parnham, and James Parnham; and his great-grandchildren, Tommy and Grace Parnham. He is also survived by many other loving relatives and friends.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in James' memory may be made to Louisiana SPCA, https://www.louisianaspca.org/.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/obituaries.