Ashley (Brown) Banter

On Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, Ashley (Brown) Banter's journey in life continued as she was received into the arms of her Lord after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 26 years old. Throughout that battle, she was an inspiration to her friends, family, doctors and nurses that treated her.

She was born in Muncie, Ind., Dec. 11, 1987, to William Brown and Diane Fitzjarrell (Cox). She attended Albany Elementary School and then Anderson Community Schools, where she graduated in 2006. After high school she was employed by Happy, Clean, and Smart in Muncie.

Her love of animals was apparent to all her clients, both two- and four-legged.

She met Cliff Banter, whom she later married on Dec. 6, 2010. She and Cliff spent two years in Montana, where they enjoyed working and living on Nelson Ranch. When she and Cliff returned to Indiana in 2010, she resumed working at Happy, Clean and Smart with the friends and animals she loved so dearly. Throughout her life, she lived with a vibrancy and love that encouraged others to live with the passion and hope that she did.

Survivors include her husband of four years, Cliff Banter; her father, William Brown of Fairmount; her mother, Diane Fitzjarrell (Cox) of Anderson; stepfather Larry; her brother, Jason Brown, and his wife, Christianne; two nieces, Josephine and Alexandra of Muncie; one brother, Kristopher Brown (Matt) of Greenwood; stepsisters, Stacey Farmer (Fitzjarrell) and Amanda Fitzjarrell-Bynum; grandmother Nancy Cox; four aunts, Deb Reese of Hartford City, Denise Croyle of Ridgeville, Darlene Smithson of Ridgeville and Donna Laudenbacher of Muncie; several aunts, uncles, and cousins; and two special friends, Ashley Edwards-Dailey and Kristi Jones.

Memorial services were held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, at The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel in Muncie. Friends could call at The Meeks Mortuary from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1520 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266 or the Muncie Animal Shelter, 2401 S. Gharkey Street, Muncie, IN 47302.

Condolences may be sent to the family at meeksmortuary.com.