Rebecca Jean Banchero

1969 ~ 2018
Rebecca Jean Banchero was born on November 4, 1969 in Madison, WI to Barbara Jean (Wright) and Lawrence Banchero. Her sharp wit and strong will were matched by her generous heart. Despite living with health issues that sometimes knocked the wind out of her sails, Rebecca marched through life headstrong and resolute. She spoke her mind, but she was always gracious and compassionate.
Rebecca graduated from Georgia State University in 1993 with a BS in marketing and worked in marketing and sales for several years in Atlanta, GA.
She was deeply connected to her family and her Siberian Husky, Azure. She had a special bond with her grandmother, Rita Banchero. They spoke on the phone, Atlanta to Salt Lake City, two or three times a week. She doted on her younger brothers, Nick and David. In old family photos, she's always holding their hands or leaning into their bassinets to kiss them. Later in life, she formed a deep connection with their wives, Rebecca and Marianne. With the birth of her nephew, Evan, Rebecca's nurturing instincts flourished. She was the one who slipped him the extra popsicle or plopped down on the floor to play with him. The Banchero family was close-knit their entire lives. They got together frequently at each other's homes, for walks in the parks, and for eating out.
Rebecca was an excellent cook. She spurned cookbooks in favor of creating her own recipes. Her father was her guinea pig, and he and the family were seldom disappointed in the meals Rebecca prepared. Baking was her true love. She made world-class cinnamon rolls, perfect biscotti, and luscious chocolate chip and walnut cookies. Rebecca also carried on a Banchero family tradition by baking her grandmother's panettone.
Rebecca loved the outdoors and found comfort being in nature, always with Azure at her side. Her favorite ways to celebrate her November birthday were to go for a nature walk or drive to see the fall leaves. She championed wolves and contributed heavily to funds and societies whose mission is to protect them and grow their numbers in nature. She was passionate about the defense of -- and nurturing of -- all animals, and was a long-time member of PETA, Defenders of Wildlife and other animal advocacy and environmental organizations.
She had active interests in music, politics, where her independent mind frequently pitted her against her parents in friendly arguments, and in sports, particularly NFL football. She was a longstanding Green Bay Packers fan, and enjoyed the give-and-take and football talk with her brothers and father.
Rebecca was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was six. In 1998, her kidneys failed. Despite the brutal toll these diseases took, Rebecca rarely complained. She approached these challenges with a bravery and stoicism that her family marveled at. After several years of dialysis, she had a kidney-pancreas transplant. Right before her transplant, an accident landed Rebecca in a wheelchair. When the doctor said she would not walk again, she set out to prove him wrong. She dedicated herself to therapy and surprised the doctor when she walked into the hospital for the transplant. Her family was not surprised: they knew her courage and resolve. In 2017 after thirteen years of having conquered kidney failure, her transplanted kidney failed. Rebecca died December 30, 2018 after a life-long battle with diabetes and kidney disease. She faced life with optimism and cheer. She was a hero and an inspiration to those who knew her and she will be deeply missed.
Rebecca is survived by her father, Lawrence of Atlanta; two brothers, Nicholas (Rebecca) Banchero and a soon-to-be nephew of Seattle, and David (Marianne) Banchero and nephew, Evan, of Atlanta. She was preceded in death by her mother, Barbara Jean Banchero , and brother, Joseph.
Joint memorials will be held in Atlanta and in Salt Lake City in late spring 2019 for Rebecca and her mother, Barbara, who died five weeks before Rebecca. We will contact friends and family when place and date are established. Please contact us with any questions you may have. Per her request, Rebecca's ashes with those of her dog, Azure, will be scattered from a peak in the Rocky Mountains. Instead of flowers, please contribute to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org), the National Kidney Foundation (kidney.org), or the Georgia Transplant Foundation (gatransplant.org) or to an animal or wildlife organization.