Mr. Wilfred C. Bancroft

Wilfred Carlington Bancroft (aka Harry) was born on September 6, 1924 to Hubert and Lillian Bancroft in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana) in South America. He was the fourth of nine children but only the first five children lived to adulthood. When Wilfred was six years old, his mother Lillian passed away during childbirth together with his youngest brother Wallace. His father raised the remaining five children with the help of loving relatives and nannies.

Wilfred’s father answered the call to be a Pastor of three yoked Scottish Presbyterian Churches and moved the family to Aurora, Guyana where they were raised in a home that sat on the bank of the Essequibo River. As a young boy, he enjoyed playing cricket, fishing, gardening, hiking and bicycling. Wilfred’s father later remarried Edith Brown, affectionately known as “Step,” and she brought another wonderful brother Albert into their family.

After completing his education, Wilfred joined the British Army in the South Caribbean Regiment. He and his younger brother Claude served together during World War II and were deployed to the Middle East to escort prisoners of war from Italy to Egypt. They arrived in Italy during the Battle of Florence and witnessed boats capsizing with people aboard. During his Army years, he also traveled to Germany, Trinidad and the United States of America. Most of the soldiers held the ambition to one day move to North America or the United Kingdom and Wilfred was no exception. After the war ended, Wilfred was honorably discharged in May 1947 and the troops returned home.

In June 1964, Wilfred married Carmen Isaacs in Guyana and together they were sponsored for legal immigration to Toronto, Canada by his brother George who was a Professor there. They left established careers and set off for a new life in Toronto facing a relatively harsh climate, racial isolation and various cultural differences. Wilfred worked in the electrical department of industry and attended the University of Toronto College of Education. A couple of years later, their only child Jennifer was born in Toronto.

In 1969, opportunities in the United States called, Wilfred’s visa for permanent residence was approved and the family relocated to New York. During his time there, Wilfred lived in Rockaway Beach, Queens, Brooklyn and Freeport, Long Island and was drawn to purchase homes with peaceful views of the water similar to those that he had enjoyed as a child. He continued his education and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Empire State College at the State University of New York. Wilfred taught at Paul Robeson High School (fka Alexander Hamilton Vocational and Technical HS) and High School of Transit Technology (fka East New York HS) and served as a mentor to many teachers and countless students.

Wilfred was an active leader in the United Federation of Teachers serving as an Executive Board Member, Chapter Chairman and Delegate. He traveled to California, Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado and Massachusetts for UFT business and conferences. He also was selected to serve as the New York State Delegate to the national organization American Federation of Teachers.

Wilfred was an active member of the NAACP - Manhattan chapter and served as a Delegate to the national conventions in Philadelphia and Chicago.

In 1990, longing for the tropical climate of his youth, Wilfred built a home in Lehigh Acres, Florida and retired there. He was able to resume his passion for year-round gardening and planted an extensive vegetable, fruit and flower garden. Wilfred also continued to enjoy photography and listening to music.

Wilfred was a faithful servant of Christ and joined the First Presbyterian Church of Lehigh Acres. He became an active leader where he was ordained as a Elder, served as a Chairman of the Missions Committee, Chairman of the Personnel Committee, Chairman of the Pastor Nomination Committee, Vice President of the Men’s Club and Charter Organization Representative for Troop/Pack 270, Boy Scouts of America.

In addition to his church involvement, Wilfred served as President of the Caribbean-American Social Club of Lehigh Acres, Inc. where they often spent Saturday evenings playing dominoes, eating, drinking and reminiscing about their countries of origin. The Club was known for its legendary Old Years Night (aka New Years Eve) parties.

Wilfred, the beloved patriarch of our family, celebrated his 90th birthday on September 6, 2014. He flew up to Dover, MA and was delighted to have the entire congregation of The Dover Church sing happy birthday to him. His relatives traveled from all over to celebrate his special day with cocktails, dinner and dancing at Dedham Country Club.

Wilfred treasured spending time with his family. He traveled to visit his relatives in Toronto and Houston. He loved visiting Jennifer, Kevin, Lauren and Rachel on Martha’s Vineyard during the summers and spending every Christmas with them in Dover, MA and previously South Orange, NJ. It was their annual family tradition to attend Christmas Eve church service - at The Dover Church and previously Prospect Presbyterian Church (Maplewood, NJ) - before enjoying a feast at home with Jennifer’s in-laws. Wilfred was in town for his annual Christmas visit when he suffered a tragic fall at a local restaurant while they were all out celebrating his son-in-law Kevin’s birthday on December 19, 2014. His life was changed forever, Wilfred was unable to return to Florida and spent the last months of his life in Massachusetts.

God called Wilfred home on October 4, 2015.

Leaving behind to cherish Wilfred’s memory are his devoted daughter Jennifer, granddaughters Lauren and Rachel and son-in-law Kevin of Dover, MA and Edgartown, MA; his former wife and friend Carmen Bancroft of Norwood, MA; sisters-in-law Olive Bancroft and Carole Bancroft of Toronto; 17 nieces and nephews, several great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins spread among Toronto, New York, Houston, Washington, DC, Miami and the United Kingdom; and many friends in Lehigh Acres, Florida.

Loved ones who have gone home: Mother Lillian, Father Hubert and his siblings Albert Agard, Rosamond Gwendolyn, Clarence, George, Claude, Reginald, Burchel, Burcheleen and Wallace.