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George A. Banks III, of Hatteras and Manteo, North Carolina, passed away on July 28, 2026, at the age of 78. George was born on January 16, 1948, in Oriental, North Carolina, on the banks of the Neuse River, to George A. Banks Jr. and Mary Riggs Banks. Throughout his life, he proudly called four of North Carolina's greatest small towns home: Oriental, Swansboro, Hatteras Village, and Manteo.
He graduated from Swansboro High School before attending Carolina Military Academy and Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), where he met the love of his life, Judy Youngblood. While in college, George was a proud member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and later attended the MBA program at UNC Greensboro.
George honorably served four years in the United States Navy aboard destroyers, sailing the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, and Black Sea. Following his military service, he spent more than four decades as a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed Merchant Marine Officer. His professional career also included industrial sales before retiring from the real estate industry.
George had a lifelong love for the water and the outdoors. Whether he was fishing, clamming, crabbing, or driving along the beach, he was happiest on the coast. He also enjoyed extensive international travel and treasured the experiences and friendships he made along the way.
Deeply committed to his community, George served two terms on the Outer Banks Tourism Bureau and multiple terms as a Hatteras Village Tax Trustee. He was also a former Vice President of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Board of Directors in Rodanthe.
George was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Judy Youngblood Banks, and his parents, George A. Banks Jr. and Mary Riggs Banks. He is survived by his brother, Bill Banks, and Bill's wife, Melissa of Holly Springs; his nieces, Julia Banks and Maggie Banks, both of Raleigh, North Carolina; his niece, Christine Y. Anderson and her husband, Bill, of Boone, North Carolina; his niece, Jennifer Y. Campbell and her husband, Alistair, of Hermosa Beach, California; and his nephew, Scott Youngblood and his wife, Tomara, of Cary, North Carolina; and six grandnieces and a grandnephew.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 422, Hatteras, NC 27943. Please share a message of comfort with the Banks family at gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services was entrusted with arrangements.

Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. was founded in Nags Head, NC in 2006 by licensed North Carolina Funeral Director Courtney N. Gallop. This independent, minority and woman-owned start-up funeral home challenged the existing monopoly firm which had sole control of all funeral care, goods, and services provided in Manteo, the Outer Banks, and Currituck County for nearly 100 years.
Finally - someone brought competition into the local funeral industry. As a direct result of Gallop Funeral Services, Inc., local families now have choices, options, alternatives, fairer pricing, flexibility, and a higher level of service in funeral care for their loved ones.

In 2016, Gallop Memorial Chapel was opened in Barco, NC. The spacious, newly remodeled facility is the first and only funeral service-related business ever to locate in Currituck County. The Barco Gallop Memorial Chapel is conveniently located near the Outer Banks, Moyock and Elizabeth City. The elegant yet relaxing chapel interior is welcoming and comfortable for viewings, family gatherings, funerals, and memorial services. Our Barco chapel is perfectly equipped to serve all faiths and families in the county.
Courtney Gallop and the staff at Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. are committed to excellence. We continue to improve, grow, invest, and learn in order to provide the highest level of service for all families entrusted to our care.

In 2011, we built and established Capital Crematory, the first and only crematory ever in Dare County. The crematory supports Gallop Funeral Services and also provides professional cremation services for other funeral homes in the Albemarle area. Having our own local crematory means your loved one's cremation will be handled personally by owners of the funeral home, 100% locally, quickly, and at the best pricing.