Mum of Burnley FC director dies

Devout Catholic Mrs Nancy Banaszkiewicz (pictured) was born in 1924 in Dublin to William and Mary Dee, but had a difficult start in life, losing both her parents by the time she was 19 and spending two years in hospital after contracting TB.

In 1955 she met Szczepan Banaszkiewicz while he was in Dublin visiting a friend. They married and moved to Nelson, which was to remain Nancy’s home until 2009 when she moved into a residential home in Cambridge. Nancy and Szczepan had four sons – Gerard, Dominic, John and Paul – and were part of the Catholic community at St Joseph’s.

The family added: “She was generous with her time to those in need, whether helping a friend or visiting the sick and elderly.” Her husband died in 1997 but Nancy is survived by her sons and 11 grandchildren.

Mrs Banaszkiewicz died aged 87. Her friends are invited to the funeral mass at 1-30 p.m. on Tuesday at Christ Church, Carr Road, Nelson, followed by interment at All Souls Cemetery.