John F. Banker
Wed, 08/12/2015 - 9:55pm
News Staff
In Memory of John F. Banker Nov. 4, 1932 to July 24, 2015. John Banker was a brilliant graduate of Stanford University and Stanford Law School. He established his own law firm in San Francisco where he pioneered the use of class actions to combat fraudulent land speculators. In 1991, after a successful career as a trial attorney, John retired and moved with his family to Crested Butte. Here he continued his passion for and commitment to preserving the American West as a legal advocate against environmentally unscrupulous developers and as a board member of the High Country Conservation Advocates and member of the Gunnison County Planning Commission. John fought hard and brilliantly against the interests that would destroy the natural beauty and sanctity of our land for the sake of short-term speculative profi t. What made John’s career so astounding is that he was actually successful in doing so. We can see his legacy all around us in the untrammeled beauty of this place. It took courage and brains to do this, and John had plenty of both. He was above all else a loving and deeply loved husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Joan Gast Banker of Crested Butte; his children Elizabeth Banker, Maguy Banker, John Hay Banker of Crested Butte, and Kathleen Ochoa of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. His is also survived by his grandchildren Nicholas Ossa, Alexander Ossa, Gabriela Ochoa Banker, and great-grandson Sebastian Ramirez Ochoa. A celebration of John’s life will be announced in the near future. For his Memorial? Just look around you.
