Emerson "Buddy" Banack Jr.

Emerson “Buddy” Banack Jr., passed away on July 31, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. A humble gentleman lawyer who dedicated his life to leadership, service, and family. He was born in Galveston Texas on January 11, 1938. Buddy graduated from the University of Texas School of Business in 1961, joined Phi Kappa Psi, and graduated in the top 10% at the University of Texas School of Law in 1965. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He practiced his entire legal career as an attorney with the Langley Banack Law firm in San Antonio.

Buddy is predeceased by his parents Emerson and Mabel Ruth Banack. He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Rose Marie, his son Trey and his wife Stacie Skillman Banack, his daughter Courtney and her husband Chris Lynn Schultz, his granddaughters Ramsey and McKenzie Schultz, and his sister Jackie Andress and her family. As a grandfather, Buddy was renamed “Jefe.” The time that he spent with Ramsey and McKenzie was very precious to him and a great joy.

Buddy’s everlasting faith in the Lord began as a teenager in Odessa Texas. It was in Odessa where he developed a strong work ethic working in the oil fields. He first went to Hardin Simmons, serving as class president, before transferring to UT. At UT he went on a blind date with Rose Marie. She took him dancing and then later to church; he immediately realized she was the love of his life. He adored spending time with his family. He enjoyed watching his son and daughter playing tennis as teenagers and attending his granddaughters Jr/High school cheer competitions, becoming loved by many. He also loved practicing law, playing golf, running, skiing, traveling, and watching Texas Longhorn Football. He was a consummate professional and a mentor to many young lawyers in his community.

Because of Buddy’s love of law and his dedication to excellence, Buddy received many accolades over his career. Buddy was named one of the Best Lawyers in America in Litigation for 23 years as well as a Texas Super Lawyer for 12 years. He was selected as a Best Lawyer in San Antonio by Scene in SA magazine, San Antonio’s 2009 Lawyer of the Year for Bet-the-Company Litigation, a Lifetime Achievement Award winner for the San Antonio Business Journal Best Lawyer Awards in 2010, San Antonio’s 2012 Lawyers of the Year for Construction Litigation, and the Texas Bar Association recipient of the Professional Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2018. He has also been selected as the 2019 recipient of the San Antonio Bar Association Joe Frazier Brown, Sr. Award of Excellence.

Buddy had a strong sense of civic duty and served on many boards. Buddy was a member of the Board of Governors for the Cancer Therapy Research Center for the UT Health Science Center. He served as a State Chairman of the American College of Trial Lawyers, President of the Board of Governors of Oak Hills Country Club, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Plaza Club, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, and President of the San Antonio Chapter of the UT Exes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to South Texas Blood & Tissue Center or the UT Health Science Center of San Antonio.