Cynthia (Cyndy) Mary Banga

I was born at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Esterhazy and raised on the family farm just southwest of Stockholm.  Growing up I was involved in many extra circular activities of which two were my favourites:  playing softball and the St. Elizabeth of  Hungary Junior Choir.

I took a secretarial course and 3 years of University to study sociology.  I used little of either as I ended up an in-house computer technician with SaskTel.  I had a knack for learning computer software and some basics of computer hardware.  As this became well known through-out the offices I walked through, I was heralded for assistance from every direction.

I was a huge supporter of a volunteer organization called the Pioneers.  I held a number of portfolios within my Chapter including Chair of the Saskatoon Board.  In one year we calculated that I had volunteered 1700 hours.

During that time I volunteered at an inner city school mentoring students.  One of the teachers and I began a simple program of partnering a student through email with a SaskTel Pioneer.  The program was a huge success and ended up going world-wide within the next two years.  We also managed to fundraise and install a computer in each classroom of that inner city school.  It was the birth of Computers for Schools.  Watching the students excel with the help of this little partner program was very rewarding.

I was fascinated by my family heritage.  I managed to lead my family members into three reunions.  I wrote a 300 page Hungarian recipe book with family favourites included.  I created two calendars that showed the family line; birth, death and marriage of each person in our family as far back as information was available.

I loved crafts of all sorts: crochet, Hungarian embroidery, Hardanger, tatting, wild life art in various mediums (spread throughout America, Ecuador, California, Ontario, South Dakota),    Hungarian motif furniture painting, wheat weaving, sewing, cross stitch, quilting, genealogy, jewelry making, and I tried my hand at a few others.   Most of all I was a collector of               hummingbird figurines.  They had great meaning for me: unique flight skills, tenacity, endurance, feistiness, and beauty.

Some of the unique things that I enjoyed in my life:  sunshine, silence, deep conversations, reading, my independence, my creativity, hummingbird collection, Church bells, and my inherent ability to teach/mentor.

I was a devout Catholic and spent many hours volunteering and doing ministries in my home   parish in Saskatoon.  When I moved back to Stockholm I was immediately seconded to help with ministries of the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish.  I immediately became a member of the CWL.  I began creating the weekly bulletin, and became a member of the Parish Council.

I am pre-deceased by my father, Steve Banga.  I leave behind my Mother, Joyce Banga; my brother, Philip (Sheila) Banga; my sisters, Carol (Reg) Closson, Pamela (Darrell) Knourek, and Susan (Grant) Protz.  My nephews and nieces, Luke (Danielle) Banga, Tyler (Stephanie) Knourek, Devin (Stephanie Rae) Closson, Kaleigh Knourek (Brian Churko), James Knourek (Harlie Deering), Deanne Closson (Tyson  Harris), Jayson (Kara) Protz, and Dawn (Conrad) Martin.  My grand nieces and nephews:  Cameron, Wesley, Kendyl, Jocelyn, Georgia, Andrew, Olivia, William, Makenna, Jaydon, and my namesake, Cassandra Cynthia.