Jack passed this life Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006 at Hospice House in Hutchinson.

He was born to Glen De and Blanche Banta on June 24, 1925. He graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1942. Shortly thereafter, he started his professional baseball career in Olean, New York, moving quickly into triple A baseball in Montreal, Canada. He was sent to the Brooklyn Dodgers in New York in 1947. In 1949 after pitching the winning game cinching the pennant for the Dodgers to go into the World Series, he developed arm trouble, but continued to manage minor league teams for several years for the Dodger organization. He retired from the Dillon Companies in 1989 after 33 years of loyal service.

He is survived by his wife, Jackie and his three children, Michael De Banta and his wife Yvette, Caledonia, Ill., Kristie Empey and her husband John, Parker, Colo. and Lee Ann Tucker and her husband Craig, Greenwood, Ind. There are four grandchildren, Shane Banta, Shana Pieta, Nathan Tucker and Kara Tucker; and four great grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. The casket will remain closed.

Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Park Cemetery for family and close friends.

Memorials may be given to Hospice House or the Juvenile Diabetes Association in honor of his granddaughter, Kara Tucker, in care of the mortuary.

Personal condolences may be sent to www.elliottmortuary.com.