September 8, 1931 – March 22, 2026
Mrs. Virginia Kochan Banner, age 94, of Little Valley, NY, died Sunday morning, March 22, 2026, at home.
Born on September 8, 1931 in Salamanca, NY, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Katherine Nowak Kochan. She was married on November 8, 1952 at Ft. Myer, VA to Sgt. Chester A. Banner, US Air Force, who predeceased her on June 1, 2002.
Mrs. Banner was a graduate of Salamanca High School, Class of 1948.
She was employed as a secretary at the Salamanca Trust Company; Salamanca TV Cable Co.; the Department of the Navy, Washington, DC; and the Department of the Air Force in Panama and Wiesbaden, Germany.
Mrs. Banner was a member of Our Lady of Peace Parish, Salamanca, NY; Our Lady of Peace Parish Altar & Rosary Society, Salamanca, NY; Board member for SCOUT; former President of AARP, Salamanca Chapter; Euterpean Club; American Bowling Congress; Salamanca City Council member from 1992-1993; Elkdale Country Club; Salamanca Senior Center; Military Council of Catholic Women, Upper Heyford, England; NCO Wives’ Club, Wiesbaden, Germany; Little Valley Seniors; Little Valley Euchre Club; and was an Interfaith Caregivers’ volunteer.
Surviving are: a son, LTC (ret.) Gregory (Dr. Kathryn) Banner; 6 grandchildren, Marina, Alex, Megan, Jenny, Morgan and Michael Banner; one great-granddaughter, Amber Banner; two brothers, Theodore (Margaret) Kochan, Warren, PA; and Thomas (Gayle) Kochan, Stuart, FL; special friends, Diana Mansour, Lori Morris, Veronica Kobinski, Doris Opferbeck; many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by three sisters, Bernice Biegaj; Theresea Gorczyca-Krolicki; infant Gertrude Gongol; and five brothers; Stanley Gongol, Steven Gongol, Joseph Gongol, Chester Kochan and Aloysius Gongol.
Friends may call at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, NY on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 4pm-7pm.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held in Our Lady of Peace Parish, 274 Broad Street, Salamanca, NY on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 10am, with Rev. John Trela, pastor, as celebrant.
Interment will be in the National Cemetery in Bath, NY on Friday, March 27 at 10am.
E-condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkefh@gmail.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.
