Remembrances: Donna Biondo-Stanya, 48

By Amanda Mayo
Standard Staff

Donna Biondo

Donna Biondo-Stanya, a longtime Inwood resident, passed away on April 21,2012 of breast cancer. She was 48.

Biondo-Stanya was born in Far Rockaway to Vincent and Irene Biondo and lived there for about 20 years before she moved to Inwood in the 1980’s. Her husband, Bobby Stanya, said she worked at a bank in the Five Towns, at the Inwood Country Club as a waitress and then at Lawrence’s Number Five School and Lawrence Middle School as an aide for special education students. “She was the best, she was dedicated and an extremely good person,” Stanya said.

Biondo-Stanya carried her kindheartedness and goodwill through the years with her work at the Lawrence schools and as a dedicated wife and mother. “She raised my two kids,” Stanya said, “I was working day and night. She was a devoted mother. She was the best.”

Biondo-Stanya became involved with the Lawrence High School Mom and Dads’ Club six years ago, where she became the club’s secretary and her husband became the club’s co-president. Stanya said the club helps to raise scholarship money for Lawrence High School Seniors.

Biondo-Stanya’s generosity and devotion to her children’s high school went beyond fundraising. “She was always cooking breakfasts for the football players on Saturday mornings,” Stanya said. The couple also made food to sell at football games together, including Italian sausage and peppers, to raise money for senior scholarships.

Biondo-Stanya loved to cook and entertain the family. “We always had parties at the house and she cooked for everybody,” Stanya said. “She was good to everybody. She never said a bad word about anyone.”

Donna Biondo-Stanya is survived by her mother, Irene Biondo; her husband, Bobby Stanya; her brothers, Joey and Vinny Biondo Jr.; and her children, Briana and Mike Stanya.

The Richard & Mary Morrison Foundation will match donations up to $5,000 in Biondo-Stanya’s name for the Public Free Care Cancer Fund, for people who have cancer and can’t afford healthcare. To donate in Biondo-Stanya’s name, please visit http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/donnabiondostanya.