Obituary of Sande J Holena

Sandra Holena,64, from Shavertown, entered into eternal life on Sunday, March 30, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Sande was born on April 6, 1960, in Wilkes-Barre. She was the first-born daughter of Leonard Stanski Sr. and the late Irene (Danko) Stanski. She grew up with her siblings, Leonard Jr, Diana Pehala, Susan Makara, Richard, Robert, and Bernice Wartella in Plains. She graduated from Bishop Hoban High School in 1978 and King’s College in 1984 with a degree in Social Work. She married the love of her life, William Holena Jr, in August 1983. They spent thirty-five wonderful years together, building their family and providing an exemplary home filled with love and cherishing every moment they spent with their three children, William III, Adam, and Rachel. Sande was a person of deep faith which guided her actions and decisions. Sande was a lifelong member of Saints Peter and Paul Church, where she was the religious education coordinator for 27 years. She prepared the youth of the parish in sacramental preparation, leading weekly adult bible study, marriage preparation, among other religious rites. She organized fundraising efforts through pierogi making, Lenten dinners, and bingos. She was involved in many aspects of the church including the annual bazaars and many groups. Being involved in the life of the church and living through Christ’s teachings was her passion. Sande devoted much of her time and took great passion in being involved role in her husband and children’s lives and activities. She was involved in the Lake-Lehman Football Booster Club and was proud of her success while running the concession stand. She could be found at all of her sons' baseball and football games while also watching her daughter cheer on the sidelines. Many of her children’s friends lovingly referred to her as Norma and knew they could count on her open arms to all entering her home, always keeping their stomachs full, a place to stay if needed, and her motherly advice. Sande’s model for love was then displayed as her sons Bill and Adam married their wives Kathy Henninger and Danielle Olenginski and her daughter Rachel began to plan her upcoming wedding with Jimmy Wright. Sande showed her love the most through her nurturing nature, caring for her late husband through his lifelong illness until he passed in 2019 and in most recent years caring for her father who began living with her. Caring for those around her gave her purpose and most enjoyably, after retiring from Highmark in 2024, babysitting her grandchildren almost daily. While 2019 was a year of grief, the family was blessed by the first of her greatest joys, her grandchildren William IV and Addison. In 2023 two more blessings arrived: Brett and Christopher. To honor her late husband's memory, the name BGE was adopted by her grandchildren and she really lived up to the name “Best Grandparents Ever”. She cherished the time spent playing, cooking, gardening, swimming, decorating, and simply being with her grandchildren. She is also survived by her father-in-law William Holena Sr. and sisters and brothers-in-laws: Daniel Holena, Karen and Jim Dillon, Patrick and Alicia Mann Holena, Denise and Joe Onderko, Laura Holena, Henry Pehala, Rick Makara, Karen Stanski, Susan Stanski, and Nick Wartella along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family. In lieu of flowers, Sande wished that donations to the Gift of Life be given in her memory for her deceased husband Bill who was a recipient of a gift from a donor. It provided Sande a life with him. Please consider being an organ donor https://www.donatelifepa.org/. Funeral Services for Sande will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 9 a.m. from the Yanaitis Funeral Home Inc.,55 Stark Street, Plains. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in Saints Peter and Paul Church, 13 Hudson Road, Plains. Interment will be private and held at the convenience of her family. Friends and family are invited to attend a visitation at the funeral home on Friday, April 4, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.