The Rev. James Marshall Bank

The Rev. James Marshall Bank, 65, died July 23, 2009, after three years of living with cancer. A native of Michigan, he was educated at Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, OH, and Boston University. Ordained at King’s Chapel, he served in the US Navy, as chaplain on Okinawa and then aboard the aircraft carrier Constellation. He next served congregations in MA, MD, and interim ministries in VT, NC, NH and PA. An active voice for social justice — especially for gay rights and AIDS ministry — he advocated strongly for local inter-denominational cooperation. He was in our Minister on Loan Program and a member of the Religious Education Futures Committee, and the AIDS Community Review Panel of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He saw his ten years as a member — and later as president — of the National Cancer Institute’s Institutional Review Board as one of the most significant lifetime contributions. He was truly a Renaissance man, who loved history, books, films, music, gadgets, animals, telling stories, and being a good Dad. He is survived by his wife, Cathy Miller and their daughters Julia, Sarah, and Sasha Bank.