On February 25th at 6:34 AM, my grandmother, Lena Shandor, went home to be with the Lord.

She lived in Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh for over 40 years. To many she was Grandma Lena — to me, she was my mother. She raised me and was there when no one else was.

She grew up poor on a farm in West Virginia and Emporium, PA. Life was hard from the start — poverty, abuse, loss, addiction in the family — but she never stopped loving and never stopped pushing forward.

She survived a stroke, a heart attack, and breast cancer. She worked two and sometimes three jobs at once. She raised her children and helped raise my brother and me. Even when we had very little, we never went without. She was selfless, sweet, and tough as nails.

Several months ago, she was diagnosed with cancer throughout her body. Because she was frail, she chose not to pursue treatment. The night before she passed, she was peaceful and clear. I held her hand, read Scripture to her, prayed with her, and sang softly. She was ready.

Grandma has been cremated, and we are now raising funds to provide a permanent resting place here in Pittsburgh, where she built her life and family.

If you feel led to give or share, we are deeply grateful. If you cannot give, your prayers mean just as much.

Thank you for helping us honor a woman who gave everything she had to the people she loved.

— Paul