Mary Jo Banas

January 20, 1977 – August 23, 2025

Mary Jo Banas, 48, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, formerly of Imperial, Pennsylvania, passed away on August 23, 2025 surrounded by family. She leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and adventure that touched all who knew her.

She is survived by her daughter, Allison Hieber, and son-in-law Magnus; her beloved mother, Linda Banas; her cousins Bob and Azur Cherin; her favorite life partner, Bryan Phelps; and her pup, Amara.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Joseph and Mary Gorenc, her aunts, Rosemary Gorenc and Carol (Joseph) Cherin; and her father, John Banas.

Mary Jo lived with a spirit of determination and heart. She dreamed of moving to the beach—and she made it happen, creating a life along the shore with Bryan that she cherished deeply. A true Steelers fan, she never missed cheering on her team, and she loved the excitement of NASCAR race days. You could find her planning her next trip to Miami to visit the Big Cheese or Havana Harry’s with her daughter’s friends (even if she wasn’t around!) Her zest for life carried her from the comfort of movies and TV shows to daring adventures like white water rafting, skydiving, parasailing, shark tagging, and anything else she was asked to try.

More than her passions, what defined Mary Jo was the way she cared for others. She had a gift for making everyone around her feel loved, seen, and valued. She would do anything for anyone, and her generosity and kindness will live on in the hearts of her family and friends. She had an amazing sense of humor that was contagious—her quick wit and joyful laughter could light up any room.

A celebration of Mary Jo’s life will be held in Pittsburgh, with details to be shared soon. In addition, her memory will be honored through a reef memorialization in Florida at a later date.

Mary Jo’s life was a beautiful reminder to embrace joy, chase dreams, laugh often, and love without limits. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by those who were lucky enough to know her. 

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