Diane McGee passed away peacefully in Tigard, Oregon, on Aug. 9, 2022, from complications of Lewy Body Dementia.
Diane was born in Islip, NY, the only child of Anne and Walter Volavka. Located 50 miles east of New York City, Islip was a quintessential small town and Diane thrived there. She formed many enduring friendships and faithfully returned to her high school reunions. She acquired her love for the beach and swimming in the ocean on Fire Island.
After graduating from Islip High School in 1954, Diane attended college, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Beaver College in 1958. Diane married Richard (Dick) Knapp in 1959, and the couple settled in Philadelphia as Dick completed his degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Dick and Diane started a family and bought a house on Dundee Place in Devon, Pa., where Diane got to know the other young mothers, especially Ruth Dudt, with whom she stayed friends for nearly 60 years. After brief stints back on Long Island and outside Boston, the Knapp family returned to suburban Philadelphia, living on Green Hill Lane in Berwyn. Diane became an avid tennis player and captained some of the ladies’ teams at the Upper Main Line YMCA and
Waynesborough Country Club. She was actively involved with the PTA and worked for a time at the Tredyffrin-Easttown Junior High School. She also volunteered at the Paoli Memorial Hospital and was active at the Church of the Good Samaritan. She enjoyed the neighborhood very much, especially the ladies’ bridge nights, the annual Fourth of July celebration, and coffees with Mimi Webb and Janet Pennell.
In 1983, Dick and Diane moved to London, England, but Diane had a hard time adjusting to life outside the U.S., and the couple decided to divorce. Seeking a change of scenery, Diane moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, to live closer to her father. In 1988, she married Bob McGee and settled in Jupiter, Florida. The Florida chapter was the longest of her life, as the weather and proximity to the ocean beaches really suited her. She played tennis seemingly every day and loved sitting on the beach and contemplating the ocean. She completed the crossword puzzle, cryptogram, Jumble, and word search every day with her morning coffee. She volunteered at various hospitals and churches. She loved to eat out and had a list of favorite Jupiter restaurants on rotation. She discovered an interest in politics and proudly worked the phone bank for the Barack Obama presidential campaign in Florida in 2008.
After divorcing Bob in 2012, Diane leaned heavily on her many tennis friends to keep her occupied and also spent many happy days with her cousin Susie Ritchardson, Susie’s husband Rick, and their daughter Amanda. Susie, Rick, and Amanda provided invaluable support after Diane was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2018.
After her diagnosis, it became apparent that Diane needed to be closer to her children, and she moved to Portland, Oregon since two of her three children lived there. Diane struggled with her major life changes—the dramatic change in climate, surrendering her driver’s license, and giving up tennis—but she enjoyed many activities with her children in Portland, including attending the Broadway Rose Theatre Company and the Oregon symphony, visiting the Chinese and Japanese gardens, and taking long walks. After so many years in Florida, she was not a fan of Portland’s hills. Diane also found ways to continue volunteering, through outreach programs of Bethel United Church of Christ in Beaverton, including serving meals through Faith Café and packing food boxes for Beaverton High School students. She cherished every moment with her six grandchildren and was proud of all their accomplishments.
After being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in early 2022, Diane’s health steadily declined, but she still enjoyed the weekly dinners prepared by her son Jeff and his husband Mark Clift. She especially loved cheesy casseroles, followed by a big dish of mint chip ice cream, preferably with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
The family expresses sincere thanks and appreciation to the caregivers and staff at Hearthstone of Beaverton and Bonaventure of Tigard, who provided compassionate care and comfort during the final stages of Diane’s life.
Diane is survived by her three children, Suzanne Hockley (Ron), Jeff (Mark Clift), and Greg (Nancy) and six grandchildren. At Diane’s request, no memorial service will be held. She wanted each of her friends to remember her in their own way and on their own terms. In lieu of flowers, Diane would appreciate donations in her memory to the Broadway Rose Theatre Company.
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