Barbara Joyce (Banka) Holsbeke

        Barbara Joyce Banka Holsbeke, 78, lived every day with grace and love.  She was a friend, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and wife of 4 years to Gregory Alan Holsbeke, of Lawrenceburg, KY.  Barbara Joyce went to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at her residence.  

       She was born on October 27, 1945 in Detroit, MI to the late George and Dolores Grabowski Banka.  She was a member of St. Thomas a’ Becket Catholic Church in Canton, MI.  In 1963, she graduated from Redford High School; where she met her best-friend Linda Wellwood Kurth.  Barbara was a kind spirit who lit up any room she walked into.  She loved animals--specifically chihuahuas and pets who needed to spend their retirement years with someone who had a heart like hers. She refused to touch anything with cheese, garlic, and obvious scents of butter.  She cried tears of laughter, joy, sadness, and anger.  Sometimes she didn’t even know why she was crying!  Her empathy was so strong that her body released tears to compensate for how deeply she felt her feelings.  She loved physical touch—holding hands, hugging, kissing.  Her signature scent was Moonlight Path by Bath and Body Works.  She loved her sweets – donut holes, Good and Plenty’s, York Mint Patties, ice cream, brownies, key lime pies, and whipped cream.  Although her physical presence is no longer with us, Barbara is in the lilac skies that rise and set.  She is the whiff of her scent.  She is the “gentle touch on your cheek” as she comes down to visit.  She is the “Frosty the Snowman” that dances on the mantle at Christmas time.  She is the song “All of Me” by John Legend.  She is the birds you hear chirping outside, the crisp autumn air, the sun, the moon, she is everywhere.  She is love and light and everything good.  Barbara was one-of-a-kind and anyone who met her was forever changed.  Not only by the massive loss we have endured, but by what she brought and stood for when she was still with us.  

       Along with her husband she is survived by three daughters, Kimberly (Robert) Patton, of Clarkston, MI, Kristine (Tom Hobson) Barnes, of Canton, MI and Kerri (Steve) Dunning, of Louisville, KY; grandchildren, Brandon, Kaylee, Jacob, Noah, Brett, Adam, Lexi and Daniel; great-grandchildren, Vincent, Dahlia and Lily; 3 brothers, Greg (Teri) Banka, of Rochester Hills, MI, Jeffrey Banka, Port Charlotte, FL and David (Patti) Banka, Canton, MI; and 3 sisters, Cheryl Kempf, Novi, MI, Debbie (Mike) Guerin, of Plymouth, MI and Denise (Ken) Schmidt, Wixom, MI.

        Cremation was chosen and A Celebration of Life is being planned, as Barbara did not want a service. Noon & Son Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with final care.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara Joyce (Banka) Holsbeke, please visit our floral store.