Carryll Banta

Carryll A. Banta was born on June 1, 1907, in Wyoming Township to Isaac Marion and Caroline Christine (Noreen) Banta, the last of eleven children. He died on

December 12, 2005. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers William, Edmund, Benjamin, Joseph, Vernon, Frank and Minno as well as sisters Mary Hylund, Nellie Stubbs and Edna Hoffman. He is survived by numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family.



Carryll grew up on the family farm and attended School # 9 in Wyoming Township. When their father died the brothers continued to run the farm. He graduated from Forest Lake High School in 1928. Following graduation he and his brothers operated a dairy farm, milk pasteurizing and home delivery business.



Shortly after the outbreak of WW II, Carryll was one of the first in the area to be drafted into the armed forces on April 20, 1942. After receiving his basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, he was assigned to the743rd Tank Battalion and sent to England on November 24, 1943, to be part of the Allied invasion of Normandy going ashore just three days after D-Day. He saw action with the 743rd throughout the European Theatre until October 24, 1945, getting within 60 miles of Berlin by V-E Day, and was honorably discharged at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin on December 15, 1945. At the 50th anniversary of the invasion he returned to Normandy and toured the area of Europe where he had served.



Since the farm and dairy business had been sold by the time Carryll returned from the war, he and Minno built a floating fishing pier on the St. Croix River and then towed it to the Mississippi River below the dam near Alma, Wisconsin where fish would congregate. They operated that business until the early 1970s. After retiring, Carryll and Minno returned to the home farm where they continued harvesting and selling hay. He also loved gardening and cooking, preparing all of the meals for his brother, sister-in-law and himself.



Carryll loved the outdoors and enjoyed deer hunting as well as fishing. He was co-owner of a hunting lodge near Nickerson, Minnesota, which is known for its whistling well.



Carryll was active in the American Legion Post at Alma, Wisconsin for 47 years and also the Masonic Lodge at Lindstrom, Minnesota for 63 years.



Memorial Service is at 1:30 pm Saturday, December 17, 2005 at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake, MN. Burial at Wyoming United Methodist Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be designated to donor's choice.

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