Wanda E. Day

With profound respect and gratitude, we honor the remarkable life of Wanda Elaine Day. Born on March 14, 1957, in Washington, District of Columbia, she lived a life that was as vibrant and inspiring as the city she called home.

Wanda attended District of Columbia Public Schools until high school. She later finished her studies in Los Angeles, California. At an early age Wanda accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and learned the importance and power of prayer. She loved to freely praise and worship the Lord and was dedicated to doing the will of her heavenly Father and devoted herself to spreading the gospel with passion and faith.

Wanda was a devoted member of Gospel Spreading Church in Washington, DC, where she shared a deep love for her church family. She held her pastor, Walter D. Roman Sr., and her fellow parishioners close to heart – and they cherished her in return.

Wanda was a beacon of faith, love, and resilience for her family and community. As an Evangelist, she was devoted to the Lord and shared her spiritual journey with those around her, illuminating paths and touching lives in profound ways.

Her life was a testament of God’s healing. Her love and caring spirit had a positive and lasting impact on the lives of so many she touched – the testimonials could never be told in one setting. Although she experienced many setbacks, she recovered from them all.

Wanda had an unwavering commitment to her family, and she reveled in the joy of being a part of her grandchildren’s lives in every possible way. From graduations to birthdays, college drop-offs to performances, her presence was a constant source of support and love. She was happiest when her children and grandchildren could fully experience and return her love. She said, “Children are the keys to the Kingdom of God!”. She also had a knack for making people feel special, often expressing her empathy and sincerity through handwritten letters, cards and phone calls. Her hobbies extended to being a skilled pedicurist/manicurist, a talent she lovingly practiced on her mother and children. She found joy in ministering and singing for the Lord, cooking, baking, capturing memories through photography, and helping the elderly and others in any way she
could.

In 1999, Wanda faced a critical health battle that left her family preparing for hospice care, as hope for her recovery seemed all but gone. She had endured two nursing facilities, weighed just 68 pounds, and had lost her sight. But then, by the Grace of God, everything changed. He turned her situation around, granting her the strength to continue her journey for 25 more years.

Wanda’s courage shone brightly in her battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), for which she received the “Jerry Florence Humanitarian Award” in 2009. She was, in every sense, a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

Wanda’s profound love and relationship with the Lord have turned her passing into a triumph, for “to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord”.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Eloise Day, her father Ellis Wright and her sister Beverly Wright. Left to cherish the memories of Wanda are her Fantastic Five: Venus Lubsey (Husband Frank Lubsey), Angelica Banks, Nina Banks, Kimberly Banks, Raynoldo Banks Jr., her Shining Nine grandchildren Asia Toon, Keith Jackson Jr., Kamari Banks, Syniyah Banks, Zaharia Banks, Saveon Banks, Jamil Offutt, Raziel Banks and Joshua Banks, her Wonderful great-grandson Braylon Grissette, Bonus granddaughter Ashley Jackson, Bonus great-grandson Alexander Jackson Jr., her ex-husband Raynoldo Banks, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, caregivers, and friends who will forever carry the legacy of her loving spirit and generous soul in their hearts.