attorney, judge, public official
Charles Green Banks, Jr. of Carlisle, Penn., beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather, passed away in Harrisburg on May 20, 2022, of complications following surgery. He was 84.
Chuck was born September 22, 1937 in Mount Kisco, N.Y. to Charles and Martha (Siggelkow) Banks. After a childhood spent primarily in Redding, Conn., he graduated with ROTC training from Yale University in 1959.
Chuck served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1959 to 1963. He completed flight school at Quantico, Va. and flew aerial observance in Okinawa, Japan, which he would later teach at Camp Pendleton, Calif. as a reservist, leaving the Corps with the rank of Captain.
Chuck married the love of his life, Susan Symes Johnston, on September 5, 1964. They remained happily married for more than 55 years, until her passing in 2020.
Chuck completed his LLB at Columbia Law School in 1966. As he began what would be a distinguished career in the legal field, the couple welcomed the births of their daughter Molly and son Charlie. The family lived in Bronxville, Chappaqua, and Katonah, N.Y. before Chuck and Susan retired to Carlisle, Penn. in 2010 to be closer to their grandchildren.
Chuck set up a small law practice in Chappaqua in the early 1970s, then merged with a larger firm in nearby Mount Kisco in the early 1980s, where he rose to senior partner at what would become Banks Shapiro Gettinger & Waldinger. After he and Susan moved to Pennsylvania, Chuck never fully retired. In addition to continuing in an of-counsel capacity at his old firm, as a passion project, he cultivated an expertise in Episcopal canon law, providing legal counsel to the Dioceses of New York (Vice Chancellor) and of Central Pennsylvania (Vice Chancellor and Chancellor).
Chuck was active in Chappaqua politics, winning election and re-election as New Castle Town Supervisor in 1977 and 1979. In Katonah, he accepted an appointment as Bedford Town Justice in 1995. Voters returned him there for three terms, leading to 14 years of service on the bench.
Chuck was a lifelong sportsman and outdoorsman. A member of the Camp Fire Club in Chappaqua for 50 years, he co-founded and led the Camp Fire Conservation Fund. His love for the outdoors took him to hunting grounds around the globe, including the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and more. Additionally, Chuck and Susan spent much of their leisure time traveling the world together, creating memories from the North Sea to Antarctica.
Chuck is survived by his daughter Molly (Banks) Talley, son Charles Green Banks III, son-in-law Scott Talley, and granddaughters Katie Talley and Megan Talley. He is also survived by his sister Sandra (Banks) Tucker and sister-in-law Julia (Spencer) Banks, widow to his late brother John G. C. Banks, and their children and grandchildren.
Services are TBA. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. John’s Episcopal Church of Carlisle, Penn. and St. Matthew’s Church of Katonah, N.Y.