Joe Hankins

Joseph "Joe" Banks Hankins Jr., 67, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. There will not be a funeral. The immediate family will hold a private remembrance at a later date. Joe was born June 12, 1947, in Forsyth County to Dr. J. Banks Hankins and Nola Hankins. He attended the first session of the Governor's School at Salem College in 1963 and was a graduate of Lexington Senior High School and North Carolina State University, where he received a degree in mechanical engineering in 1969. He worked for Factory Mutual Research Corp. for over 30 years where he was assistant vice president and senior engineering specialist. He retired in 2005 and, with his wife, Marion, moved back home to Lexington. He served as executive director of the American Fire Sprinkler Association — Carolinas Chapter and in 2005 received the distinguished Henry S. Parmelee Award for his "outstanding service to the fire protection industry." He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Gary Hankins; and niece Jennifer Pate. Surviving are his wife, Marion Hankins of the home; two sisters, Pat Plummer of Charlotte and Bebe Briggs and husband Ron of Lexington; two nieces, Nola Moore and husband Dave, their son, Brian, and their daughter, Danielle, of Richmond, Va., and Harriette Lopp of Arlington, Va.; two nephews, Phillip Williams and wife Lisa and their daughter, Annabelle, of Great Lakes, Ill., and Erik Moon of Townsend, Mass.; two great-nieces, Samantha and Emily Pate of Greensboro; and two sisters-in-law, Shari Hankins of Salisbury and Lorraine Sherry of Denver, Colo. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the charity of the donor's choice.