Albert William "Bill" Banker

Albert William Banker Bill Banker, who is lately of Raleigh, NC passed away peacefully on April 15, 2025, at the age of 89.
Bill was born in Plattsburgh, NY on June 6, 1935, to John James and Katherine Marion Banker. He graduated from Plattsburgh High School in June 1953 and matriculated from Union College in Schenectady, NY with a BA in English on June 16, 1957.
He successfully completed The Medical Specialist Course on 30 July 1959 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and served in the Korean War. He was relieved from active-duty April 25, 1962, from Camp Drum in Watertown, NY and then served in the US Army Reserve until receiving an honorable discharge on Nov 30, 1964.
Bill knew he wanted to live in New York City and started his career as an underwriter trainee at the Great American Insurance Company, but in 1964, moved into theatre production with Orrin E. Christy Productions. He found his true passion for working in silver, starting as Assistant Buyer at Tiffany & Co. until 1968, and then in the same role at Cartier, Inc until 1973. It was then that he joined Jeans Silversmiths and worked there until his retirement. Jeans was famous for being one of the largest collections of sterling silver in the country, and if you walked in you knew it. It was quintessential Old New York and Bill cherished his customers.
What people didn't know was that he had a beautiful singing voice. What his family and many charities knew was what a generous man he was. He doted on his whole family with beautiful gifts from Jeans. He was to us the embodiment of elegance, taste, culture and sophistication and continued to travel internationally until recently. Bill is survived by his sister Alice Banker of Sardinia, NY and his brother James Banker of Raleigh, NC. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews who remember him lovingly.