Diana Mary Brown Frantz passed away 31 March 2019. She was born in Dubois, PA on 14 September 1932. Confirmation by the Diocese of Erie Pennsylvania was certified on 20 June, 1948. Upon graduation from high school, she enlisted in the Army and served two years during the Korean War era. She graduated from the Army Finance School in June of 1951 and thus began a life-long career in financial management.

She was discharged from the Army in 1952 due to her marriage to Frank Dipolito. They had three children: Mike, Tammy and Angie. She worked in the private sector while Frank was stationed in Hawaii. It was during this time in 1963 that Diana drove for the Ford Shelby racing team which took her to many different locations as well as races in Hawaii.  Then the family was transferred to California where Diana began her work in federal civil service in December 1965, when she worked at the Comptroller Division at Camp Pendleton, California.  Diana then held federal billets in Hawaii, Naval Investigative Service in San Diego, various locations in Virginia, and Kirkland, New Mexico. It was her assignment as Financial Management Officer, Maintenance Division, Marine Corps Recruit Depot where she first met her future husband, Ken Frantz in 1974. She then went back to the Naval Investigative Service, San Diego in 1978-1979 and then transferred to Naval Investigative Service Headquarters in Suitland, MD in January 1980. It was during this time frame that Diana trained and volunteered as an Emergency Medical Technician as well as spokesperson and fundraiser for the Women-In-Crisis program specifically the battered women's shelter where she counseled, answered the hotline, and provided crisis intervention. Diana had her first Communion and was confirmed in April 1985. Diana left Woodbridge, Virginia and joined Ken in Virginia Beach where she quickly found a billet with the Headquarters for the Atlantic Seabees. Diana and Ken were married 27 Feb 1988 and soon transferred to Okinawa, Japan. There, Diana worked at the Comptroller's office for Camp Smedley D. Butler until her retirement from civil service in 1989.

After that, Diana became a full-time professional volunteer, serving with the American Red Cross, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Association, Officers Wives Club (where she was President) and taught English to local Okinawan and Japanese wives, plus Special Minister of the Eucharist to the Military Archdiocese-1990. In 1991, they were transferred to Kaneohe, Hawaii where Diana wasted no time in getting involved once again with the wives' club (and again was President) plus Navy-Marine Corps Relief as well as being the Commanding Officer's wife and assisting the younger wives in adjusting to being a Marine Corps spouse.

In 1992, Ken and Diana were living in a two room BOQ at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida while Ken was temporarily assigned as Marine Corps Liaison Officer to the Commanding General, Central Command. While Ken was working 6 or 7 days a week, Diana took advantage of the available time to volunteer with Hospice as well as work with realtors to find a potential retirement property for them.

After two round trips between Hawaii and Tampa over the span of a year, the Marine Corps permanently transferred Ken to Central Command and Diana found just the right house for them to settle in. Soon afterward, she once again found a needy cause after reading an article about abuse of the elderly in Tampa and she called the State Attorney's office and volunteered to work in that section. Her boss, Judge Harry Lee Coe was so impressed with her work ethics as a volunteer, they hired her full-time. And, she returned the favor by helping with the Judge's re-election campaign. It was during that time that Diana and Ken invited the Judge to join them as their guest at the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. The Judge had agreed to make a quick appearance but once he arrived and saw how much fun everyone was having, he canceled the rest of his plans for the evening and gained a new perspective of our country's patriots and the pomp and circumstance surrounding such as event as the Marine Corps Birthday.

1997 rolled around and Ken and Diana had to decide whether to retire and move to their Myakka City, Florida cattle ranch they had bought in 1993 or take another tour overseas. They were still having fun and doing good things, so they chose to return to Okinawa for their last two years of active duty or like Ken likes to say: so Diana could finish her shopping. Once again, Diana was commissioned as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in 1998 to the Military Diocese.

On Mother's Day, 1999, they returned from Okinawa and moved into their new home on their cattle ranch. And once more, it wasn't long before Diana was back to working Hospice, prison minister, juvenile counseling, Catholic Charites, and parish council President. 15 April, 2003,  Diana was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation as a citizen volunteer to the Florida Department of Corrections in its effort to enhance the programs and services to inmates and offenders that promote behavioral changes, provide life skills, and increase their potential for successful reintegration into the community. With the ranch work and all Diana's volunteer work, it was hard work for the two of them, but they enjoyed themselves doing so much together and spending time with family and interacting with the community. But in August 2003, Diana was diagnosed with kidney cancer; fortunately, it was detected early, and she had a partial nephrectomy and no radiation or chemo was required. May 2004, Diana was issued certificate of completion by Diocese of Venice bereavement Ministry for successfully completing the grief facilitators workshop. But the cancer was a real eye opener for the two of them and they decided to work smarter, not harder and sold both of their cattle properties and move to New York, close to many of Diana's relatives that she hadn't seen in decades.

They bought a beautiful home on 14 acres overlooking Lake Chautauqua and, true to form,  Diana was back to Hospice and certified by Hospice of Chautauqua County in 2007; respite care via her church, and parish council president, but she did take time to study classical piano with Ms. Helga Hulse in Jamestown, New York, who remained a life-long friend and talked with Diana just a day before Diana's passing. It was also during this time that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Association, to which Diana belonged, asked her to take over the duties of Treasurer. Naturally she said yes and continued those duties and a great deal more for the association until Diana and Ken moved to Conroe, Texas in late 2011. At that time, Diana needed to step down as Treasurer, but wanted to stay involved with the NCIS family, so they created a new job and her title was Outreach Coordinator. She would spend 6-10 hours a day, calling or emailing members, widows and widowers or those who were infirmed, plus review the organization's magazine that was published several times a year. She so enjoyed talking with all of the association's members on their birthdays or other occasions and she was a great listener. Ken used to tell everyone that she had better "war stories" than he did and her colorful, detailed description of the events of her full and complete life truly were worth hearing and being repeated by so many who knew, respected, cherished her friendship and loved her. When they say, "to know her, is to love her"; they are talking about Diana!

Had it not been for the dementia preventing her from reading, comprehending what was being said or the ability to find the right words to say, Diana would have continued her selfless work that she so enjoyed and was such a huge part of her Naval Criminal Investigative Service Association family.

Together Diana and Ken have four children: Mike of LaCenter, Washington; Tammy of Alpine, California; Angie of Spring, Texas; and Dave of Rockledge, Florida. They have 8 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, with the 7th due in May and one great-great grandchild who was born in March.

No contributions, donations or condolence cards are desired. All Diana's family would ask is that you hug your family, friends and even strangers and tell them that's from LadyDi and they need to share that selfless love with family and friends. And when they ask, who is Lady Di, tell them how you know her and that she truly was an angel on earth! That would make Diana proud and happy and put a smile on her beautiful face!

SAFELY HOME

I AM HOME IN HEAVEN, DEAR ONES;

OH, SO HAPPY AND SO BRIGHT!

THERE IS PERFECT JOY AND BEAUTY

IN THIS EVERLASTING LIGHT.

ALL THE PAIN AND GRIEF IS OVER,

EVERY RESTLESS TOSSING PASSED;

I AM NOW AT PEACE FOREVER,

SAFELY HOME IN HEAVEN AT LAST.

DID YOU WONDER I SO CALMLY

TROD THE VALLEY OF THE SHADE?

OH! BUT JESUS' LOVE ILLUMINATED

EVERY DARK AND FEARFUL GLADE.

AND HE CAME HIMSELF TO MEET ME

IN THAT WAY SO HARD TO TREAD;

AND WITH JESUS' ARM TO LEAN ON.

COULD I HAVE ONE DOUBT OR DREAD?

THEN YOU MUST NOT GRIEVE SO SORELY,

FOR I LOVE YOU DEARLY STILL;

TRY TO LOOK BEYOND EARTH'S SHADOWS,

PRAY TO TRUST OUR FATHER'S WILL.

THERE IS WORK STILL WAITING FOR YOU.

SO YOU MUST NOT IDLY STAND;

DO IT NOW, WHILE LIFE REMAINETH-

YOU SHALL REST IN JESUS LAND.

WHEN THAT WORK IS ALL COMPLETED,

HE WILL GENTLY CALL YOU HOME;

OH, THE RAPTURE OF THAT MEETING,

OH, THE JOY TO SEE YOU COME!

Priests of the Sacred Heart Monastery