Anna "Banana" Elizabeth Vande Pol, also known as "Anna Banana Bandana from Montana," ran full speed into the arms of Jesus on the morning of June 4, 2025. Knowing Anna, she probably hasn't let that hug end yet. Anna, age 13, took her last breath at her home in Ripon, California, surrounded by her family. Our sweet girl is officially cancer free, pain free, fully restored, and has joy spilling out into laughter.
Anna Banana had a giant heart and desired for everyone to be her best friend. Jokes, sarcasm, and laughter were Banana's forte. Quite often her jokes were a bit edgy, which made her daddy proud. Spending time with her often included cut-throat board game playing (especially with Uncle Ken and Nanny), cooking, baking, swimming, crafting, sewing, singing, and dancing. She could often be found planning elaborate meals or mapping out fun sleepovers in her notebooks. Her cancer diagnoses and the side effects from treatments made many of these activities much more challenging and sometimes impossible, but that never deterred her from trying to have a good time. She also bore her suffering with grace, always putting the needs and feelings of others before her own. Her bold faith and deep love for Jesus were the foundation of her life.
Her loyalty to Weston Elementary ran deep; she was a dedicated Weston Wildcat. And though she preferred to stay away from hospitals, Banana developed a deep affection for many staff members of both Kaiser Roseville Pediatrics as well as at Valley Children's Pediatric Rehabilitation Center. She considered the medical personnel who came to care for her at home as her dearest friends. Specifically our Shayla Banana, "Marie, sweet as can be," and our beloved Claudia.
Anna is survived by her parents, Richad and Annette; her three younger siblings, Robin, Trudy, and Kenneth; her grandparents, Bernie and Donna Vande Pol, Larry and Teresa Albertoni, and Tim and Martha Hawkins; her great-grandparents, Claudia Albertoni, John Hawkins, and Stephanie Smythe; her three dogs Crouton, Maggie, and Stitch; and a loving extended family and community of friends, educators, nurses, and doctors who went above and beyond the call of duty to care for and love on her.
A celebration of Anna Banana’s life will be held on Wednesday, June 25, at
11:00 a.m., at the Ripon Christian Performing Arts Center, 435 Maple Ave, Ripon, CA 95366. A live-stream of services can be accessed at https://qrco.de/annavp
We grieve deeply, but we also celebrate her heavenly home and hold tight to the promise that we will be reunited one day. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either OverLookedNoLonger.org or to Modesto Pregnancy Center in Anna Banana’s memory.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
