Ronald Thomas 'Ronnie' Banta

A funeral for Ronald Thomas "Ronnie" Banta, 35, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Yerington.

Mr. Banta died Jan. 30, 2004, at South Lyon Medical Center from a construction accident. He was born in Las Vegas and lived most of his life in Yerington.

He married Sandra Jones in 1994.

Mr. Banta was an accomplished wrestler, winning three high school state championships and was runner-up another year. He graduated from Yerington High School in 1986. He wrestled at Lassen College in Susanville, Calif.

After college, he moved to Reno and became a metal fabricator at Washoe Metal Fabricating. He returned to Yerington in 1992, and began working for Steve Mathews Construction, where he had been a foreman for the past 11 years.

He was involved in his children's lives, coaching and supporting them in all their activities. He was a 4-H ski leader for the past few years and an avid football fan.

Among his survivors are his wife; children Bailee, Stephen and Alyssa; parents Willie and Connie Banta; grandmother, Vonda Green; sister and brother-in-law, Cheri and Mark Crowell; brothers and sisters-in-law Jeff and Angela, Darrell and Bridget, and Steven and Bridget; nieces and nephews Kyndra and Tori Crowell, Marissa and Kyle Banta, Darian and Dylan Banta, and Dominic and Derek Jones; mother and father-in-law, Fred and Julie Jones; brother-in-law and wife, Mike and Jennifer Jones; and numerous aunts and uncles.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronnie Banta Wrestling Scholarship Fund, the Yerington Lions Club, P.O. Box 25, Yerington, NV 89447; or to Financial Horizons Credit Union, 120 N. Main St. No. D, Yerington, NV 89447, Account No. 22353008.

Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.