Larry Bancroft was born January 13, 1939, to Mary and William (Bill) Bancroft in Ottawa, Kansas.
His family owned the Bancroft Grocery Store for many years, and later, the Hillcrest Drive-In Theatre.
Larry helped by delivering groceries to homes and then as a projectionist at the drive-in.
Larry’s nature-loving mother, along with his Boy Scout activities, instilled within him a deep love for the outdoors. He also developed a lifelong appreciation for music while playing the piano and clarinet in high school. Tennis was always his favorite sport and he enjoyed playing it for many years.
Being an only child, Boy Scout Troop 74 was like a second family to Larry. Several of the members became lifelong friends. He was overjoyed to be able to see two of them recently, Morgan and Meredith Williams, and recall their camping adventures, as well as many band trips.
Larry was the quintessential boy scout. The promises of the Boy Scout Oath are: Duty to God and Country, Duty to other people, and Duty to self. The Boy Scout Law states that a Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. He could not only recite these, but they became a part of his true nature as he matured.
After graduating from Ottawa High School in 1957, Larry went to the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, enrolled in NROTC (Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps), and graduated in 1961, B.A., Zoology. During his senior year he met Jeanette Kay Vail, and they were married on 8/6/1961. Their honeymoon was a trip to Long Beach, CA, for Larry to report to duty aboard the destroyer, USS Turner Joy.
Larry, LTJG, resigned from the US Navy and resumed his studies at the University of KS. He earned an M.A., Zoology. His daughter, Mary Michelle Bancroft, was born during this time.
Larry devoted 34 years to the National Park Service. He worked on the trail crew at Rocky Mountain National Park during college and as a naturalist in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during graduate study. In 1967 Larry received a career appointment with the National Park Service and received training at the Grand Canyon. His family went along and enjoyed this spectacular place. They hiked down the Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (with Michelle in a Gerry Pack), and then back up.
Larry’s first assignment was to be a Ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville Falls area. This is the prettiest section of the parkway and includes Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, and spectacular vista points. He patrolled the Parkway, gave campfire talks, and collected natural history data. A son, William Mark Bancroft, was added to the family here. After 3 years, Larry was sent to Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, for graduate study in ecology.
Larry’s next position was Management Biologist at Everglades National Park. He began learning how to apply fire safely to restore ecosystems. It was a challenging, but very exciting time for him and he was thrilled at the opportunity to learn proper techniques and planning strategies. They bought a house in Homestead and lived there from 1972-1977. South Florida offered a whole new environment for them to explore. Their favorite activities included hiking the boardwalk trails in the park, bicycling in the Shark Valley, swimming, snorkeling in the coral reefs, square dancing, and going to Disney World.
In 1977 Larry was selected to be the Chief of Science and Natural Resources in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks. He oversaw the protection and enhancement of the forests, the fish and wildlife, the caves, the water quality, and the air quality. Larry developed the park’s first Fire Management Plan which helped save most of the Giant Sequoias that were threatened by the recent wildfires.
The highlight of each work year at Sequoia was the Superintendent’s Squad Trip. Each of the division chiefs and other key personnel would embark on a long backcountry stock pack trip to remote regions of the park. It was always in the fall, and they often had snow in the higher elevations. Once camp was set up, everyone was assigned tasks. Larry and Bob Griego had to catch enough fish for dinner, and they were more than happy spending their days fishing in the high mountain lakes. Larry usually rode a cantankerous mule named Mitch who was notorious for wrecking the campsite during the night. One night as Larry was sleeping, he felt a warm breath on his face and felt the swipe of a big tongue—luckily the big bear sauntered off. All the beautiful Sierra photographs we have in our home were taken by Larry on those squad trips.
He received numerous awards for his outstanding achievements within the Western Region and the entire National Park Service. Larry was most proud of the R-MAP (Resources Management Assessment Program) that he helped formulate and direct during his last years at Sequoia. It is still in existence today to enable parks to assess their financial needs to sustain their natural resources.
As Larry’s family, we are deeply indebted to him for enabling us to live in or near some of the most beautiful places in our country. Getting into the natural world, whether on a mountaintop or below the ocean’s surface viewing a coral reef, our lives were greatly enhanced, and we all gained a deep love and appreciation for the “wild places” left on earth.
Larry retired in 2000 and he and Kay enjoyed travelling to the Southwest, Alaska, and Europe, as well as spending more time at their vacation home in Sunriver, OR. They moved to Sunriver, OR, in 2003 to enjoy the outdoor recreation of this beautiful area. Under the guidance of his cousin, Todd Cannon, both Larry and Kay devoted a great deal of time exploring their genealogies. Larry traced his Bancroft line back to the 1700’s in Derbyshire, England. The First Presbyterian Church of Bend provided inspiration and lasting friendships. Spirituality became of prime importance as they learned about the Enneagram, and began practicing meditation, Reiki, and Tai Chi. Favorite authors included Wayne Dyer, David R. Hawkins, and Eckhart Tolle. They especially enjoyed going to the Creative Life Center in Sedona, AZ, to hear David Hawkins’s lectures. Larry was fascinated with quantum science, consciousness, alternative healing, and fields of energy.
Larry and Kay moved to Bend in 2013 and lived in The Bridges of Shadow Glen. Their house was on a canal, so there were always a lot of birds. Every spring the ducks and geese would bring their young to feed under the birdfeeder in the back yard. They also had beautiful views of the Three Sisters and Mount Bachelor.
In October 2019 they decided it was time to be closer to their family. They moved to Eskaton Retirement Village, Grass Valley, CA, to be near Michelle who lives in Nevada City and Mark and his family who live in Grass Valley. They chose Unity in the Gold Country as their church and were able to participate during the pandemic via Zoom and YouTube. The Spiritual Exploration classes introduced them to new concepts of reality as well as providing companionship with other class members.
Pets were always considered as family members over the years. They had 3 dogs, Duchess, a German Shepherd in North Carolina, and Leah and Sam, Golden Retrievers in California. They also had numerous cats, which Larry generally accepted, until a white kitten appeared at our door and insisted on living with them. She was named Annie and immediately adopted Larry. She was always beside him, especially during medical recoveries. After Annie died, Angel (another white cat) took over, providing loving care for everyone. She was very concerned about Larry and stayed next to him during his last 6 months of life.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and William Bancroft. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jeanette Kay Bancroft, daughter, Mary Michelle Bancroft of Nevada City, CA, William Mark Bancroft (Kaia Bisnar) of Grass Valley, CA, William Spencer Bancroft of Rocklin, CA, Ivy Bancroft of Grass Valley, CA, and Aidan Scott Bancroft of Grass Valley, CA.
Larry was a man of honor and courage who strived to be his best self. He was a lifelong learner, always eager to pursue new ideas and knowledge. His family is grateful for his legacy of hope for a better tomorrow and belief that we live in a universe full of love.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Sunday, June 4 at 12:15 P.M. at Unity in the Gold Country, 180 Cambridge Ct., Grass Valley, CA 95945.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Sequoia Parks Conservancy, www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org or Unity in the Gold Country, www.unitygold.us.
Arrangements are by Hooper and Weaver Mortuary. See: www.hooperandweavermortuary.com for more information and condolences.
