Natalio Banchero

Dr. Natalio Banchero was a man who craved knowledge, lived his life romantically and treated others with a generosity of spirit and an often-biting sense of humor. He will be remembered in many ways because he was a complex person. His family will remember his keen wit and his tenderness toward his siblings, children and grandchildren. His former students and colleagues will remember him for his intellect and creativity as a research scientist. His wife will remember him as a wise counselor and loving companion. His friends will remember him for his storytelling and bonhomie. Natalio was born in Lima, Peru, on June 6, 1935, to Natalio Banchero Rios and Delia Zavala de Banchero. He graduated from San Marcos University in Lima in 1962 as a medical doctor. He completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., between 1963 and 1965. By then he had three children with his first wife Ines Peschiera and the family returned to Peru. They emigrated permanently in 1968, when Natalio received a faculty position at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Another child arrived in 1970 and the family made Denver their permanent home. Natalio died peacefully Wednesday, June 12, at Sunrise Senior Living Center in Greenwood Village after living with frontotemporal dementia for many years. His research focused on the effects of high altitude on the heart and lungs. He also taught physiology at the medical school. Besides his research, Natalio served as the honorary consul for Peru from 1969 to the mid 1980s, and many friends in the Peruvian community in Denver will remember him for his help in securing documents and for his advice about how to thrive in the United States as an immigrant. Always possessed of a curious mind, Natalio had many side projects during his years at the university. He imported Peruvian goods for sale in the U.S. Later, he and two friends started a Jaguar restoration business. Natalio refurbished the woodwork in older model Jaguars. Cars were a passion, and he relished trading in an older one for a newer one. One of his favorite cars was a red Porsche that he got late in life. He was a confident driver, and reluctantly gave it up as his disease progressed. After his wife Leslie bought an Arabian horse, he decided he wanted one too. That first horse led to a multi-year obsession with Arabian horses, which he trained and showed in competition. His most beloved Arabian was Nartek, who loved to nuzzle Natalio. Another passion was home improvement. He built a bunk bed and dinner table for his family. He rewired, retiled and replumbed one home, and immersed himself in Southwestern décor for another home. His last major project was the metamorphosis of his Rancho Encantado from what had been a modest ranch house in Parker to an elegantly appointed home that reflected Natalio 's personal aesthetic, from the ceiling in the entryway-acquired at auction from the Denver Art Museum-to the paintings of Pueblo Indians, Spanish gypsies and stunning Western landscapes. It was at Rancho Encantado that Natalio most thrilled at entertaining guests with his gourmet cuisine. In 1994, after 27 years of service, Natalio retired from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. In addition to his many do-it-yourself projects, he loved traveling. Perhaps nothing says more about a person than how their family and friends regard him. Natalio adored his wife Leslie. He raised four children to be independent-minded and self-determined, though he didn't always agree with their choices in partners or career paths. His judgment could be severe, but his love was unshakable. Although his work was important to Natalio, he loved most spending time with family and pursing his many interests. Most of all, Natalio strove for the best. He eschewed the pragmatic choice for the more daring or noble or even fun one. He chose terrific Halloween costumes. He told stories of his mischievous childhood. He left the comfort of being someone in Peru for the uncertainty and promise of a life in America. He could be ambitious and judgmental, generous and kind. Family and friends will gather privately to celebrate Natalio's life. Natalio is survived by his wife Leslie Capin. Also surviving are: four children, Natalio, Ines Maria (Chris McManus), George, Paola (Travis Rector); eight grandchildren, Robin Beck, Meredith and Trevor Johnston, Michaela, Natalio Roberto and Amelia Banchero, Grayson McManus, and Claudia Rector; four siblings, Delia, Rodolfo, Ileana, Bertha; and many in-laws, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. Please share online condolences with Natalio's family at HoranCares.com.