Virginia Kochan Banner

LITTLE VALLEY — Mrs. Virginia Kochan Banner, age 94, of Little Valley, died Sunday morning (March 22, 2026), at home.

Born Sept. 8, 1931, in Salamanca, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Katherine Nowak Kochan. She was married Nov. 8, 1952, at Ft. Myer, Va., to Sgt. Chester A. Banner, U.S. 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, D.C.; and the Department of the Air Force in Panama and Wiesbaden, Germany.

Mrs. Banner was a member of Our Lady of Peace Parish and the Our Lady of Peace Parish Altar & Rosary Society of Salamanca. She was also a board member for SCOUT; former President of AARP, Salamanca Chapter; Euterpean Club; American Bowling Congress; Salamanca Common Council member from 1992-1993; Elkdale Country Club; Salamanca Area Senior Center; Military Council of Catholic Women of Upper Heyford, England; NCO Wives’ Club of  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; six grandchildren, Marina, Alex, Megan, Jenny, Morgan and Michael Banner; one great-granddaughter, Amber Banner; two brothers, Theodore (Margaret) Kochan of Warren, Pa., and Thomas (Gayle) Kochan of Stuart, Fla.; special friends, Diana Mansour, Lori Morris, Veronica Kobinski and Doris Opferbeck; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by three sisters, Bernice Biegaj, Theresea Gorczyca-Krolicki and infant Gertrude Gongol; and five brothers, Stanley Gongol, Steven Gongol, Joseph Gongol, Chester Kochan and Aloysius Gongol.

Friends called Wednesday (March 25, 2026) at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River St., Salamanca.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday (March 26, 2026) in Our Lady of Peace Parish, 274 Broad St., Salamanca, with Rev. John Trela, pastor, as celebrant.

Interment will be at 10 a.m. Friday (March 27, 2026) in the National Cemetery in Bath, N.Y.

E-condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkefh@gmail.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.