Jessie B. Bankhead Jr. was born January 18, 1960 as the tenth child of Jessie B. and Maggie Harris Bankhead. He grew up in a framing community of Cotton Valley Louisiana. He departed this life on May 20, 2020 as a result of complications related to the coronavirus. He accepted Christ at Hope Well Baptist Church in Cotton Valley Louisiana at the age of 6. Jessie attended Carrie Martin Elementary school where he enjoyed learning and interacting with his siblings, cousins and school friends. At Plain Dealing High school he excelled academically in student government, sports, chorus and he was a member of the National Honor Society. His musical abilities led him to sing the national anthem at his high school graduation. Earning a full ride scholarship for his athletic capabilities in 1978 he attended and graduated from Grambling State University. In the spring of his freshman year at Grambling State he met who would become his soul mate and life partner. Rebecca Smoot was his girlfriend through college. They were both 18 years old and at age sixty they have been married for 36 years. Jessie received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. Rebecca a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. Jessie enjoyed traveling and the couple has visited seven islands in the Caribbean, traveled to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Rome and Paris. They also visited more than 20 states in the United Sates. After Graduation on July 16, 1983 Jessie and Rebecca were married in Madison, West Virginia at her church home Zion Baptist Church. The couple settled into married life in Bernice, Louisiana where Jessie began working with his brother Edward Bankhead as the manager of the Willow Village housing complex. He would later start a career with Church's Chicken where he worked for six years before moving to Clinton, Maryland and beginning a career with his Landscaping Business and as a transit driver in the last four years with his brother-in-law, Alfred Smoot. Jessie continued to operate his landscaping business and enjoyed both responsibilities equally. In the spring of 1996, the couple adopted Andrew and he remains the center of the pride and joy for the family. Jessie spent a lot of time helping Andrew with a murid of responsibilities to include how to run a landscaping business and how to become a God-Fearing Christian man. He and Andrew attended Wizard Basketball games, Bankhead Family reunions, fishing trips and Boy scout camping trips. He was a patience father that wanted the best for his children. Jessie and Rebecca had a hand in helping with the partial raising of several children to include Rebecca's cousins, Demetrius and April, Melvin Jefferey Wilson and Darlene Carroll. Obituary J B. Bankhead Jr. essie He loved the Lord and was a faithful Christian, the Bankhead's are members of Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton where Jessie sang in the male choir. His recent responsibilities as a transit worker robbed him of participating in the choir as he once did. He is known as a happy, smiling warm hearted man and the world will be a little less pleasant with his passing. He greeted everyone with a smile and was willing to help people if he could. He loved his family and talked to them almost daily. Jessie was an avid sports fan who loved football and could be found in front of a television or viewing a game on the phone every Thursday – Monday. He was a Washington Redskins fan that coached the coaches from his recliner. He was preceded in death by his Parents, Jessie B Bankhead Sr, Mother, Maggie Harris Bankhead, Sisters Alberta Bankhead, Lillie Mae Hall, Brothers-in-law, Ricky Joe Chapman, Marvin Whittaker, his father-in-law and mentor, Thomas Miller. Jessie leaves to mourn his passing his wife Rebecca, his son Andrew, Brothers: Edward Bankhead (Shelia), Wesley Bankhead, (Melinda, Herman Bankhead, (Pam)), Sisters, Leola Thompson, (Phillip), Bessie Whittaker, Margret Chapman, Josie Moore, (Orlando), Sarah Martin, Judy Tatum, (Elston). A large group of nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and community friends form the Hope Well Cotton Valley Community. A host of friends from college, the Plum Way community, Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton, Metro Washington Transit Authority, Circulator Transit Authority, Prince Georges County School System, Grambling State University, the Davis family. Close family friends, Napoleon Martin and Eugene Lindsey