Obituary of William F. Banks

William F. Banks of Bedford, New York died on Friday April 10,, 2015 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. While Alzheimer's took him from us at the end, he had a wonderful life enjoying his family, his many friends and his passion for tennis. Mr. Banks, better known as "Bill" was born February 12, 1925 to Harry and Helen Oates Banks in Brooklyn, NY. His family shortly moved to Bedford Village where he was a resident for over 80 years. He was very involved with the community, his legal practice and his Church. He attended Bedford Grammar School, a two room schoolhouse, before continuing at St. Mary's in Katonah. He graduated from Iona Preparatory School in 1942. Inspired by the Christian Brothers of Iona he went on to Cathedral College and St. Joseph's Seminary at Dunwoodie in Yonkers where he was considering the priesthood. He decided to take another track in life and attended Columbia University. College was interrupted by World War II when he served as a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Maritime Service. He finished his college years at Fordham University in 1948 where his history professor noted his excellence as a student and interest in the topic of history. The relationship with that professor developed and Bill was guided in the direction of law school. He graduated from Cornell Law School in 1951. He developed many good friends during his years at Cathedral College, Fordham University and Cornell University; friendships he maintained through the rest of his life. He spent a good deal of time with many of his friends from these schools until he was unable to do so because of his Alzheimer's. He met his wife Therese Curran Banks at Fordham University. They were married in 1950. They had four children. He started his legal career with the Westchester County Attorney's Office in 1951 and eventually began his private law practice Banks & Bray. In 1963 he joined forces with Stanley E. Anderson, Sr. and co-founded the law firm of Anderson, Banks & Anderson. He served as an Acting Police Judge in Mt. Kisco 1953- 1956. He was elected Bedford Town Justice in 1960, a position he held for 25 years. He was a Co-Founder and Member of the Northern Westchester Bar Association, and member of the Westchester, New York State and American Bar Associations. He was a Member of the Westchester Bar Institute 1992-1997. He served as Special Counsel, Urban Renewal Project, Lewisboro, 1964-1970, and as a Member of the Advisory Board, Bank of New York, 1979-1985, and as a Member of the Advisory Board to Hudson Valley Bank since 1989. He served as a Member of the Hudson Valley Economic Development District, NYS 1985-1992, and a Member of the Surrogate Decision Making for the NYS Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled, 1998-2006. He was dedicated to community and world service through his long term memberships with the Bedford Village Lions Club and the Knights of Malta. Through the Bedford Village Lions Club Foundation he founded the Nursing Scholarship Fund, a cause that was dear to his heart after having been married for 46 years to his first wife Therese Curran Banks, a Registered Nurse. He established the scholarship in memory of her. She predeceased him in 1996. . He received humanitarian service awards in 1994 and 1997 from the Lions Club International, in 2006 from Fordham University and in 2008 from the Knights of Columbus. After his first wife's death in 1996, he married Dixie Bader Banks in 1997. His passion in life was tennis, and through this he founded the Chestnut Ridge Racquet Club in Mount Kisco, New York in 1969 where he played into his eighties. He was also a member of Bedford Golf and Tennis Club. He was a man of faith and was always active in St. Patrick's Church in Bedford, NY. He followed in his father's footsteps singing in the St. Patrick's Church Choir. He was instrumental in raising funds for the Church, especially with the installation of their pipe organ. He also enjoyed conducting Christmas Eve Carols before a Yule log fire on the Village Green in Bedford Village. Mr. Banks is survived by his second wife, Dixie Bader Banks, four children from his first marriage: Barbara Banks Schwam, of New York, NY, Christopher W. Banks, of Stamford CT, Peter M. Banks of Bedford Hills, NY, and Helen Banks Iral, of Yorktown Heights, NY; a step-daughter, Anne B. Friscia, of Santa Cruz, CA; two sons-in-law: Keith Schwam & Romero Iral, and a daughter in law, Coleen Sabella Banks; six grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and two first-cousins: Joan Oates O'Neil, raised as a sister to him since her early childhood, of Pt. St. Lucie, FL, and William B. Oates, Jr., of Lincoln, CA. The visitation will be held at the Oelker-Cox & Sinatra Funeral Home, 262 E. Main Street, Mt. Kisco on Monday, April 13th from 2 -4pm & 7-9pm. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick's Church, Bedford Village at 11 am Tuesday, April 14th followed by a burial at Bedford Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Bedford Village Lions Club Foundation to support the Nursing Scholarship Fund.