William Banks Wingate

Dr. William Banks Wingate, Ph.D. “Doc” passed away Tuesday afternoon, May 26th, 2026. He was 81 years old. Banks was born August 17th, 1944, in Moultrie, Georgia to Ruth Sims Wingate and James Donald Wingate. He was the eldest of 7 children. Banks met his future wife, Alice Faye Stripling, his love of many years, in the first grade. He said, “he would have married her then, but you know how people talk”. They were finally married September 6th, 1964, at Hopewell Baptist Church, Colquitt County. They were married almost 62 years before her death in January 2026. They had one daughter, Dana Melissa, born in 1971.

Banks served in the U.S. Army from 1966-1968. He left the army feeling firmly that George Washington's admonition for the United States to stay out of entangling alliances was a good one.

Banks was the first in his family to graduate college. A lifelong learner, he earned degrees from Darton College, Valdosta State, Georgia State, and Doctorate from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). During his time teaching at Charlie Gray in Moultrie, he authored a book about the history of the Presbyterian Church in Colquitt County, Ga.

Banks and his family moved to Cobb County in 1979, where he taught at Campbell High School until he retired. During his 30+ years of teaching, he taught history, government, civics, debate, and German. He gained distinction as a debate coach. He sponsored the Deutsche Vereing (German Club), the Model United Nations, and the Mock Convention. He also served as President of the Cobb County Association of Educators where he worked tirelessly to improve the lot of students and teachers in the Cobb County school system, one of Georgia's largest. In the evenings he worked as a private contractor teaching German to military and business personnel.

Banks was a Christian and attended Smyrna First Baptist Church for many years, where he taught the men’s Sunday school class. He loved horses, dogs, cats, antique guns, Southern history and literature, and had an extensive collection of books on almost every aspect of the subjects. He was a voracious reader with a wealth of knowledge, an avid gardener, and a great Patriot who was civically minded with Godly principles. He had handsome green eyes and amazingly strong eyebrows. He was staunchly independent and a dapper dresser who loved quality clothing. In later years he enjoyed news, talk radio, and podcasts. Banks was a hard worker with an infectious laugh and wry smile.

Near the end of his life, he became vision impaired/blind. A lesser man would have given up, but he fought valiantly without complaint. He suffered from a great deal of pain, but no matter how hard things got, he never gave up his wit and sense of humor. He was a selfmade man who was very frugal, yet generous. At the time of his death, he and his daughter were working to set up the William and Alice Wingate Charitable Foundation. He had also almost finished a book on the Genealogy of his family.

He loved the family he left behind, his daughter Melissa Wingate Martinez, West Cobb, sonin-law Jimmy, and two God sent grandchildren, his sweetie Emma, and his good buddy Ethan. Three sisters Roslyn Wingate Harrell of Saint Mary’s, Vickie Wingate Durham and Emily Wingate Hammack of Moultrie and three brothers Jimmy Wingate of Greenville, South Carolina, Jerry Wingate of Valdosta, and Deneen Wingate of Savannah. He acquired many nicknames: Lightning Wingate, Coach, Grady, Herr, Professor, and Doc, but his most treasured were Husband, Brother, Teacher, Father, Grandpa.

Solo Deo Gloria

A graveside service at Hopewell Baptist Church in Moultrie, Ga will follow at a date TBD.