Lea

This is what Lani wrote for her mother. It's a good account of her life:

Lea Ann (Ward) Banner, age 61, passed away from her 9-year battle with colon 
cancer on February 16. However, cancer was never a death sentence for Lea, but 
rather, a call to live in the present and to visit Barcelona, Venice, Istanbul, 
Alaska, Panama, Costa Rica, and more, while spending the last five winters in 
Scottsdale, Arizona. Even before her diagnosis, Lea received her Bachelors of 
Arts in Education at Clarion University in 1973, and was an active member and 
president of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. She furthered her undergraduate studies 
at the University of Valencia, Spain and soon thereafter became a member of the 
Copley-Fairlawn Schools Teaching Team. She was an educator for 35 years in the 
fields of Spanish and Computer Science, and served as a President of the Copley 
Teacher’s Association for numerous years. She also received her Masters in 
Computer Based Education from University of Akron.

Lea was also very dedicated to her family. Her parents were Rosalie (Price) and 
James Ward of Glen Richey, PA, where she was born on January 14, 1952. She was 
also a graduate of Clearfield Area High School in 1969. She met her husband of 
39 years, Larry Banner, while teaching down the hall from each other at Copley 
Junior High School. They had two daughters, Lani Banner, who followed in her 
footsteps to become an educator in the Hudson City School District, and Carey 
Banner, who is a Consultant with PriceWaterhouse Coopers in Los Angeles, 
California. Lea’s sister, Lesa (Ward) Rowles, married to Eric Rowles, was not 
only a sister to her, but also her best friend; her nephew and niece, Zachary 
and Emily Rowles, were her “third and fourth” children. Her older brother, 
Leslie Ward, married to Barbara Ward, survives her; however, her younger 
brother, Larry, passed away in 2009. Numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, 
nephews, grandkitties, and friends also survive her.

Calling Hours will be at Billows Fairlawn Chapel/Funeral Home at 85 North Miller 
Road in Fairlawn from 4:30 to 9:00 PM on Monday, February 18th. A private family 
internment will occur at Moore’s Chapel Cemetery in Bath, Ohio. In lieu of 
flowers, donations will be accepted in her name to the Copley Fairlawn City 
Schools Scholarship Foundation at 3797 Ridgewood Road, Copley, Ohio 44321. The 
family would like to offer their sincere gratitude to Dr. John Petrus and staff 
at the oncology department at Akron General Hospital, as well as the Visiting 
Nurse Services and Hospice Care.

This picture is from our last trip together when we went to Put-In-Bay for Mom's birthday.