Dyhouse, Diane Marie

Diane Marie Dyhouse

Loving wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend, Diane passed away peacefully on January 15, following a series of illnesses. She was 79 years old. She was preceded in death by her parents, Angela and Anthony Altadonna and her older sister Frances Mirkay. She is survived by her husband Gary, her sons Gary A and Mark, daughter-in-law Rose, her sister Maureen and many nieces and nephews.

Diane graduated from St. Raphael’s grade school and St. Josephs Academy High School. She then worked for several years at Superior Forwarding Company as a claims agent. Diane married Gary in 1968 and began her career as a wife and mother. A caring and loving individual, she was heavily involved in the boys schooling and in her church, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Diane was part of many school activities as classroom helper and party arranger. Her church activities included bringing communion to the homebound, a weekly Eucharistic adorer, a longtime member of the Marthas, and providing occasional meals for the priests. She was a great cook and the priests tried to hire her full time.

Gary and Diane loved to travel. They toured much of California while Gary was temporarily assigned to a job near Sacramento. Travel to various parts of the US and England occurred throughout the 2000-2007 period when Gary would teach workshops at various locations. They enjoyed over a dozen sailings, cruising as far west as Hawaii and as far east as Israel and Egypt, with trips through the Panama Canal and three trans-Atlantic crossings. She visited 49 states, dozens of countries and five of the seven continents. Diane looked forward to their winters in Florida over the last 10 years, enjoying the warmth and sunshine in first Naples and then The Villages. Her health limited much travel in recent years. She loved crossword puzzles and reading, going through 2-3 books a week, mainly mysteries, historical novels and biographies.

She was greatly loved by both friends and relatives. Many told her she was like a second mother to them for all of her wonderful qualities—kindness, caring, love, generosity, and empathy. She contributed to more than two dozen charities, especially those involving young children, the military and Catholic. Diane sponsored, corresponded with, and provided monetary support for first a young boy and then a young girl in Guatemala for over the past 15 years through the Unbound organization.

Diane did not fear death but welcomed it to ease her chronic pain of the last several years. She wanted a celebration and her final wishes were for no black clothes and for gladness, not gloom. In fact, she wants the song “When the Saints Go Marching In” sung at the cemetery and for all to toast her afterward.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (stjude.org), Ride on St. Louis (rideonstl.org), or Unbound (unbound.org).

Visitation: Sunday, January 22 at Kutis South County Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd. ,  4 – 7 pm. Funeral from Kutis South on Mon. Jan. 23,  to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Church for Mass at 10 am with entombment following at Resurrection Cemetery. Luncheon at SMMA parish hall afterwards