Paulene Banfill

Paulene "Polly" Banfill was born May 17, 1930, to Virgie and John Horner in Altus, Oklahoma. She passed from this life into the arms of Jesus in Wendell, Idaho, on April 8, 2025, at the age of 94.

Polly spent most of her childhood years in Hawaii, where her stepdad was stationed in the Army. She was at Pearl Harbor as an 11-year-old on December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked the island. The following year Polly's family returned to the mainland, and they eventually ended up in Washington state, where Polly attended high school.

After graduating high school in 1949, Polly went to beauty school. Later, however, she moved to Oklahoma where she got a job as an aide in a hospital. That eventually led to her career as a nurse.

By the 1970s, Polly was living in California and active in a church located in Anaheim. In 1975, one of the ushers of the church's singles department asked Polly if he could sit with her. She went on to marry that usher, Gil Banfill. For the next 47 years they were inseparable, through thick and thin, sickness and health, loving and cherishing each other until Gil's death in 2022.

In 1996 Polly and Gil retired to Wendell, Idaho, where some of Gil's siblings had retired. They purchased property, sight unseen, and quickly became active members of Hagerman Christian Center, where Polly would often play the piano.

Polly was preceded in death by her husband Hilbert "Gil" Banfill; and her siblings, Chester Horner, Bill Horner, Thelma Spence, and Wanda Levene. She was also preceded in death by her children, Marcella "Marcy" Meyer and Richard Ricketts.

Polly is survived by two daughters, Cheryl Sanderson and Nancy Runion; stepson, Frank Banfill; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S Lincoln Ave, Jerome. Burial will conclude at the Wendell Cemetery, 37 Nampa Street, Wendell.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Polly’s memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.