Michael Holzman Bancroft

Born: January 21, 1942 at the Caledonian Hospital of Brooklyn, New York. Michael’s parents were Frank Bancroft and Mary Holzman Bancroft originally of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Died: October 5, 2024 Michael passed away at Providence Mount Saint Vincent Skilled Nursing Facility in West Seattle.

He is survived by his wife Victoria Curry and by daughter and son, Alex Bancroft and Ethan Bancroft, children of his marriage with Kay Pilcher. Michael is also survived by his older brother Carter Bancroft of Huntington, New York and his younger brother John Bancroft of Seattle, WA. Michael was blessed to have two grandchildren born to Ethan and Megan, Griffin and Avery. Michael delighted in his numerous nieces and nephews, Josh, Devon, Justin, Rosie, Danny and their combined 6 grand nieces and nephews.

He grew up in a politically sophisticated family attending PS 163 then Elisabeth Irwin High School in Manhattan, as did his brothers. He attended Swarthmore College graduating with honors in physics and political science. (He had to fight to minor in political science there.). He went on to Stanford University for his Masters of Physics, then transferring to UC Berkely for his PhD. He and Rochelle Kleinberg married and moved to Seattle where he was a post doctorial researcher in solid state physics at the University of Washington. This was the early 70’s and he was introduced to the Monday Night Football and Folksong Potluck group that continues these 55 years later and formed a significant aspect of his social world. He and Rochelle moved to England continuing his post doc research at Imperial College, London.

Inspired to follow his Swarthmore interest in political science, he returned to UC Berkley Law School for his JD. He clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He embraced the opportunity to fight the good fight with Ralph Nader as the Environmental Officer challenging unsafe nuclear power projects.  He found an opportunity to work at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and moved to Seattle with Kay Pilcher. They were married in 1981 and had children Alex and Ethan, whom he adored all his life. Anytime he was around family he fascinated the kids with science toys and games.  He was the recognized magician of giant bubble making. Michael settled into family life and working at NOAA’s Office of the General Counsel. The job was a perfect combination of science and law. He specialized in endangered salmon and fishing law in the Northwest for 30 years, for which he received the Federal Distinguished Career Award.

Michael and his brothers have a proud Bancroft Family legacy of political action (Berkley sit ins, Seattle marching, Democratic Party canvassing) and volunteerism (KUOW radio pledge drive work, board member of Seattle’s two Recorder Societies, and of the Royal Scottish Dance Society Seattle Branch and Northwest Folklife).

Michael and Vicki Curry met at an English Dance in 2001 and continued dancing for the next 20 years. He performed with the Nonesuch English Dance Troup at the Northwest Folklife Festival as well as with the Royal Scottish Dance Society at the annual Highland Games in Enumclaw, WA. In retirement he accomplished his long-held dream of playing the Baroque recorder for the last years of his life. His family saw him as a one-man precursor to Wikipedia searches: whenever there was a question or a fact in dispute, the family expression was “just look it up in Mike!”.

To email Vicki directly, please click here.