On June 30, 1979, Naomi Nichole Banks was born to Pam Banks and Willie Pettis. Naomi grew up in Akron, Ohio.

At 8 years old, Naomi pursued ballet lessons and sang in the school choir during elementary school. She even discovered a love for writing poems and journaling which stayed with her forever. As a child, she loved going fishing with friends of the family, learning how to fly a kite and baking on her Eazy Bake Oven for her mother and aunt – a passion she continued to nourish. Later, Naomi enjoyed hot air ballooning with her mother, going to plays, and attending concerts. One of her favorite memories was flying from Cleveland to the LAX, all by herself! In LA, she met with family and went to Disneyland. After graduating from Akron’s Firestone High School, Naomi went on to attend Pennsylvania Culinary School – which was one of her most fond achievements.

Naomi was christened at 7 months of age and baptized when she was 17 years old. She was a member of the Word Church in Akron, Ohio and enjoyed tithing and love offerings. The Word Church was a place that brought Naomi immense joy, when she couldn’t attend in person she would tune in on the church’s live stream. She not only had strong faith in Christ, but she kept God’s Word in her heart by praying, reading her Bible, and praising and worshipping in her home.

Naomi was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Bishop L. Banks and Doretha Banks of Akron, OH; paternal grandparents, Ernest Pettis and Mamie Pettis of Sandusky, OH; and uncle – who she shared her birthday with, Milton “Blu” Banks.

Left to cherish her memory forever are her mother, Pamela Banks of Akron, OH; father, Willie Pettis of Sandusky, OH; sister, Emily Pettis of Cincinnati, OH; brother, Blake Pettis of Sandusky, OH; aunts, Arlene King and Michelle Alexander of Sandusky, OH; uncles, Lee Banks and Sam (Pam) Banks of Akron, OH, Ronnie Pettis and Kenny (Marlene) Pettis of Sandusky, OH; godparents, Jessie Seward III and Shirley Seward of Barberton, OH; as well as a host of special aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.