Diane Lee Pxxxx Rxxxxxx Dxxxxxxxx, 66, passed over on Wednesday, March 13, 2013…much sooner,
certainly, than any of us hoped for or expected. She had a huge and
courageous heart, but in the end, it failed her.
Diane is survived by
her loving and devoted husband, Wayne Dxxxxxxxx; her siblings, Linda & Gene Sxxxxx, Deborah Pxxxx, Dick Pxxxx; her ex-husband, Robert W. Rxxxxxx; her children, M. Morgan, Kelly
Rxxxxxx, Kevin Rxxxxxx, Corey & Renee Kxxxx, and Erica & Devon Txxxxxx; her grandchildren, Cameron Rxxxxxx, Brittany Rxxxxxx, Kaitlyn Rxxxxxx, and
Riley Kxxxx; her stepchildren, Brent Dxxxxxxxx, Mandy Dxxxxxxxx and their families; her former daughters in law, Lisa Jxxxxxx, and Michelle Rxxxxxx;
her “adopted” children, Chad Jxxxxxxx, Charlie Jxxxxxxx, Terry Hxxxxxxxxxx,
Frank Nxxxxx, Tommy Nxxxxx, MaryAnn Vxxxxxxx, Susie Dxxxxx, Cheryl Mxxxx, Maddy
Txxxxxxx, Jason Bxxxxxxx, Bridget Jxxxx, and countless more; and her dogs,
Bella and Rusty.
Diane was born in
Syracuse, New York, in 1946, to Alice & Albert Pxxxx, thanks to a
celebration of Albert’s safe return from his service during World War 2.
She lived in the same house on Richfield Avenue throughout her childhood, and
spent summers at a relative’s fishing camp nearby, cementing her lifelong love
of the water and her equally lifelong dislike of cleaning fish. She
graduated from Onondaga High School, determined to never take another test ever
again. She had a few jobs, but especially loved her time teaching dance
at Arthur Murray. She loved to sing and dance, and was talented enough at
both to appear on a local TV show. She was nice enough to pass those
talents to some of her children, for which they are grateful.
She met her first husband
on a blind date that culminated in her accompanying him to a McDonald’s in a
cocktail dress. He had told her he was taking her to a fancy restaurant
called The Golden Arches. Diane’s characteristic ability to appreciate
the humor in a less than optimal situation led to that first marriage and the
births of her children, for which they are really, really grateful.
Diane was instrumental
in helping her first husband build their business, performing many jobs,
tirelessly, while carrying their small and energetic children around with her
from task to task…all while managing to clean the house and have dinner on the
table by 7pm every night. She was an amazing young
woman, and she made it work. And all while never losing her sense of
humor.
By the mid-80’s,
Diane’s fifth child had arrived, and her first husband had left. A lesser
person, after enduring 20+ years of marriage to a dynamic, but “challenging”
personality, only to be suddenly left with five children, no formal education,
no formal job history, and soon after, no financial assistance, might have
packed a bag and run away. To her credit, and her children’s utter
surprise, she stuck around, dug her heels in, and made it work, sense of humor
intact. While even the sanest person might have considered selling all
five kids to the highest bidder, especially during the
horrific teenage years for which those same children were almost assured of
grievous karmic retribution in the form of their very own teenagers, Diane
chose to demonstrate strength and fortitude in the face of an uncertain
future. She didn’t consciously set out to do so, but she taught her children,
by example, an invaluable skill: How to suck it up and deal.
In addition to the
succession of jobs she took, beginning with her hostess duties at Peter
Dinkel’s Restaurant on Silver Springs Boulevard, she also started, with friend
and partner Kathy Dxxxxx, a party planning and entertainment business called
Simply Unforgetable. Years of sweat equity in Kathy’s garage eventually
led to the opening of their store on Maricamp Road and 36th in
Ocala. While still working 40 hour weeks at her day job, Diane sold party
supplies out of their storefront, designed and assembled the décor for local
proms, weddings, and other occasions, and handled their staff of children’s
party entertainers and bachelor/bachelorette party exotic dancers, many times
even filling in, herself, as a clown or everybody’s favorite purple
dinosaur. She made a mean balloon poodle. Eventually, stretched to
the breaking point, Diane had to make a tough decision, and Simply Unforgetable
went on without her.
In the years that followed,
she still maintained her sense of humor, though it didn’t always come as easily
as before. One of the bright spots was meeting and marrying Wayne
Dxxxxxxxx, who was kind and loving and supported her when she needed it
most. Wayne got her back to the water and fishing, something she hadn’t
had time to enjoy for many years. They built a nice life for themselves
on a tranquil piece of property not too far from Cedar Key. Her children
will always adore him for the way he loved her.
Diane also enjoyed
seeing her children grow into happy and reasonably well-adjusted adults, and
having graduations, businesses, weddings, and children of their own. Quite
possibly her biggest thrill during this time must have been the near constant
succession of heartfelt apologies from her children for having been a rowdy lot
of insufferable bastards as teenagers, now that they were getting it back in
spades from their own kids. Upon hearing each new story, she always
laughed and responded with her standard line, “Well, I could’ve told you that.”
Diane was a great and
patient mother. Cookies were baked, costumes were made, battles with
school administrators were won. She always made sure there were
books. Lots of books. She deserved a medal for surviving five teenagers,
all of their friends who seemed to live at the big house in Sparr, and some who
actually did move in when their own home situations were bad. She never
turned anyone away, regardless of how tight the budget was. She knew how to lay
down the law, but everyone always knew there would be room for negotiation if
they could make her laugh. She encouraged her children in every endeavor,
always saying “yes” more than she said “no”, convinced it was better to let
them learn from their own mistakes. No matter how unlikely or insane the
idea, like a sudden and short-lived whim to become an actress after a mediocre
turn in a school play, she never told them they were delusional. She just
nodded with interest, and maybe a slight wince, and said, “Great!”.
She loved movies,
particularly the movies of Mel Brooks, but anything funny would do. She
loved to laugh. Her favorite TV shows were M.A.S.H. and
Cheers. She loved music. Music was always playing in the
house and car, and her children grew up with a great appreciation for it.
She loved to throw the whole family into the car and go to St. Augustine for
the weekend. She would always drive fast over the dips in the dirt road
so her kids could bounce high in their seats. She always made chicken
noodle soup and peanut butter sandwiches when they were sick. She made
the best seafood casserole in the world. And the best lasagna.
Diane didn’t cure
cancer or facilitate peace in the Middle East, but she was loved…deeply
loved…by more people than she probably realized. Because who among us
doesn’t make the tragic mistake of thinking they’ll have more time to let
people know how important they were to them?
She will be sorely
missed, and on Saturday, March 23rd, at 4pm, at the home of
Renee & Corey Kxxxx, she will be given a proper loud, laughter and
story-filled sendoff in the form of a very Irish wake.
Contact any of the Rxxxxxx clan via phone or Facebook, for
details and directions.
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