James Avery became known for his as Phillip Banks, Will Smith’s uncle in the t.v sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, sadly Mr. Avery has passed away at 68 following an open heart surgery. He is survived by his wife Barbara Avery and stepson Kevin Walters.
James Avery died on New Year’s Eve after a series of complications from an open heart surgery, his beloved wife Barbara Avery was practically living at the hospital, she wouldn’t leave his side, her mother-in-law Florence Avery said.
“It seemed like he was doing better. I heard him say something in the background,” mom Florence Avery, 89, told the Daily News by phone from Atlantic City.
“Barbara planned to spend the night at the hospital but said she had to run some errands first. When she came back, she called me to say he was gone,” Florence recalled, adding that her son also suffered from diabetes.
“It breaks my heart,” she said. “My child was a great person who helped anyone he could. He was really just a nice person whose great passion in life was reading.”
James Avery and his wife Barbara had been married for 25 years, they had no children of their own, but he adopted Barbara’s son Kevin Walters from a previous relationship.
69-year-old Barbara Avery was born Barbara Waters, she attended at San Diego State University California State University, for eleven years Barbara Avery was dean of students at Loyola Marymount University, after leaving Loyola in 2002 she became vice president for students affairs at Holy Names University and in 2005 along her husband Barbara Avery has been vice president for students affair and dean of students at Occidental College.