Sandra Dunleavy Banko, age 77, resident of Palm Coast, Florida, passed away on November 28, 2022 in Northfield, New Jersey while visiting family for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Sandy was born in Columbus, Ohio on December 7, 1944 to Joseph and Ruth Dunleavy. She was raised mostly in Ohio, while some of her formative years were also spent living in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin where she set many of her wonderful stories. She graduated from Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio in 1963. She then attended The Ohio State University, graduating with her B.A. Degree in Anthropology. She later obtained her Master’s Degree in Technical Writing from Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida.

As a member of a large Irish Catholic family, she was the oldest of her siblings (6 brothers and 2 sisters). She met her husband, John W Banko, in the halls outside of French Class at The Ohio State University. They married in 1967 starting their lives together in Mentor, Ohio. In 1978 they moved their family to Melbourne Beach, Florida where, despite her incredible fear of driving, Sandy embraced her roles as homeroom mom, brownie leader, soccer mom, and den mother. While in Melbourne Beach, Sandy did substitute teaching in many of the schools, volunteered as a member of Zonta (an international organization empowering women worldwide), and worked full-time at both Florida Tech and Berlitz teaching English as a second language to international students. She and John enjoyed an adventure together living on the Sebastian River, then in Indialantic, FL before moving in 2016 to her beloved Autumn colors in Davidson, North Carolina. In 2021, Palm Coast, FL became their new home as they retired to the condo life.

She was a voracious reader and had an intense and extreme passion for writing. We will all miss her beautiful notes (when legible), short stories, poems, and especially her FaceBook comments. Her two favorite authors were Pat Conroy and Madeleine L’Engle. Stories from her grandfather drove her travels to Kenya, Iceland, France, and Austria. She also enjoyed many trips with John and their children to our National Parks. Later she would travel with her husband to Hawaii, Alaska, The Panama Canal, Columbia, and Jamaica.

Above all, Sandy loved her husband, her children, and her roles as Grandma, Grandma Sandy, and Grandma New Florida to her 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Survivors include her beloved husband of 55 years, John W Banko; 4 children Kathy Freihofer (husband Mike), John Banko (wife Khanh-Lien), Michael Banko, Becky McLane (husband Chip); 12 grandchildren Nathan Austin, Matthew Ryan, Gavin Michael, Zachary George, Sydney Kate, Samuel Alfred, Analise Sandra, Jack Ryan, Paul Roberts, Jessica Anh, John Reilly, Gus Dunleavy; 2 great grandchildren Connor Arohana, Charlotte Brooke; 7 siblings Debby (Jay), Tim, Dan (Vickie), Peter (Toni), Brian (Chris), John (Debbie), Betty, and their families.

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Ruth Dunleavy, brother Michael, brother-in-law John (husband of Betty), and nephew Conor (son of Brian and Chris).

As she wrote in her tribute to Pat Conroy, “May the very best of what is to be surround you now and for all time.”

A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022 from 2:00-3:00pm at Adams-Perfect Funeral Home, 1650 New Road in Northfield, New Jersey. A service will be given at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. www.stjude.org