Viola Pagliara Banyasz

Viola Pagliara Banyasz, age 100, formerly of Garwood, NJ, passed away Tuesday, October 16, 2012, at ManorCare Health Services in Lancaster, PA. Born in Paterson, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Donato and Agnese Marinari Pagliara. Viola married John L. Banyasz in 1943 at Camp Pickett, VA, before he shipped out to fight in the European Theater, and they celebrated 50 years of matrimony before his death in 1993. A lifelong resident of northern New Jersey, she moved to Lancaster in 1993 after her husband’s death to live with her daughter Jacqueline.

She graduated from Summit High School, Summit, NJ, in 1928. A homemaker after marriage, Viola had worked briefly as a legal assistant in NJ, an RCA teletype operator in Manhattan and then managed an electrolysis business in Newark, NJ.

Viola was an avid bridge player and gardener. She belonged to both the Garwood Garden Club and the Bridge Club and was also a member of the Garwood Women’s Club. In addition, she was a voracious reader and always followed local and national politics and spent time volunteering as a poll watcher in Garwood. Involved in her community, she spent many hours volunteering at her daughters’ elementary school and leading their Brownie and Girl Scout Troops. Viola also loved decorating and drawing for her own pleasure. In addition, she was a lover of animals, in particular her cat Domino. She and her husband John spent many pleasant times together at the Atlantic City casinos and at the Freehold, NJ Racetrack.

Surviving are two daughters Jacqueline B. Fogarty of Lancaster, PA and Michele B., Creedon, wife of Daniel, of Arlington, VA; four grandchildren, Caroline Creedon Cappo, wife of Craig, of Falls Church, VA, John Creedon, husband of Daniela, of Kirkland, WA, Morgan Fogarty Spring, wife of Jeremy, of Charlotte, NC, and Katharine Fogarty of Philadelphia; and two great-grandchildren Luca Cappo of Falls Church, VA, and Sawyer Spring of Charlotte, NC. She was preceded in death by her sister Mildred Annunziata and her brother Eugene Pagliara.

Funeral Services will take place 11 AM Thursday, October 25, 2012, at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA, with Linda Berger as the Celebrant. Viola’s family will greet friends from 10-11 AM on Thursday at the funeral home. Interment will be in St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made to the Humane League of Lancaster County, 2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602 or Hospice and Community Care, PO Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125 or http://www.hospiceandcommunitycare.org. To send the family online condolences, please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 717-560-5100