Diane Lynne Naegel

DIANE LYNNE NAEGEL

August 31, 1980 to September 25,2011

Diane Lynne Naegel was born August 31, 1980 to Sarita Diane Naege1 and Mark R. Naege1, Sr. at Bethesda Base Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, their firstborn, and passed away on September 25,2011 at about 9:30 a.m. due to breast cancer and complications, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City, in the company of her parents, fiance' Don Spiro, brother, Mark R. Naegel, Jr., and sister in law, Brittany Naegel.

Diane spent her childhood, high school and college years in Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Concordia Lutheran School from 3 year old preschool through eighth grade, St. Ursula High School, graduating with honors in 1998, and the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, graduating with honors in Fashion Design in 2003. Diane participated in the co-op program in the DAAP college and spent co-op sessions in New York City, Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA and won the Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Mafia Award for outstanding senior of the Class of 2003.

Diane started her own internet scarf business called Lulette.com and ran it for a year before going to New York to work for the Gap in the International Division of children's accessories, and then for OshKosh B'gosh as children's accessory designer. Diane loved her work with OshKosh and was considered an innovative force in the children's apparel and accessory area.

Outside of her employment, Diane ran the Wit's End Jazz Age social club along with her fiance', Don Spiro, a professional photographer, specializing in fashion, burlesque, and media photography. The Wit's End Club began in 2009 and paired with the Art Deco Society and the Museum of the City of New York for several major events. For the Fourth of July 2011, Wit's End joined with Dances of Vice, the Salon, and Champagne Riot for a Vintage Fourth of July extravaganza at the Empire Hotel featuring a bird's eye view of the annual Fireworks over the Hudson, musical performances by the Jazz Age group (Jesse) Gelber and (Kate) Manning and the StarSpangled Orchestra, rockabilly and blues by the Susquehanna Tool and Die Co., acoustic Hawaiian swing by the Moonlighters, tap dancing by the Minsky sisters, captivating

burlesque performances by Angie Pontani, Jezebel Express, Main Attraction, Gal Friday, Medianoche and the Hot Box Girls. Wit's End gets together monthly at the Flute Bar in Midtown (205 W. 54th St.) Diane founded Zelda: Magazine of the Vintage Nouveau, with the first issue being Fall/Winter 2009, and served as publisher and Editor in Chief, through the last issue of Spring/Summer 2011. Zelda, which commemorates F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife during the Jazz Age, featured articles including Diane's interview with Doris Eaton Travis, the last

surviving Ziegfeld girl, articles about Zelda herself, Clara Bow, the "It" girl, Ginger Rogers, Mickey Rooney, Marsha Hunt, Buddy Rogers, and featuring advice on hair styles, shaving with a straight razor, how to wear and care for vintage clothes and stockings and a variety of topics of interest to afficionados

of the 20's, 30's, Jazz Age, as well as modern Jazz Age performers like Gelber and Manning, the Minsky Sisters, and many burlesque performers including Perle Noire, whose costume for the annual Miss Exotic World competition at Las Vegas was made by Diane.

Diane was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Long Island City, New York, a community member of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, enjoyed her collection of owls (her medical team), and most of all, her fiance, Don Spiro, her family, and many friends in New York City, Cincinnati, Ohio, L.A., Las Vegas and around the country. Memorials may be made to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10065 and Trinity Lutheran Church, 31-18 37th Ct., Long Island City, New York 11103.

A Celebration of Diane's Life of 31 years will be held at DePaul-Cristo Rey High School Gymnasium from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, October 13,2011. All friends are invited to attend and celebrate a life well-lived.

OBITUARY OF DIANE LYNNE NAEGEL

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF

Diane Lynne Naegel was born August 31, 1980 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the first and only daughter of Sarita Diane Naegel and Mark Robert Naegel. Diane attended pre-school and grade school at Concordia Lutheran School and high school at St. Ursula Academy, graduating with Honors, both in Cincinnati. Diane studied and worked at the University of Cincinnati (parent’s alma mater), in the co-op program of the College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning and graduated with Honors with a degree in Fashion Design in 2003. She was proprietress of the internet scarf business Lulette.com for a year before coming to New York to work in the fashion industry, first at the Gap and most recently at Osh Kosh Corp., designing children’s accessories.

Diane met the love of her life, Don Spiro, in New York, and together they operated Wit’s End live vintage jazz club, the only monthly jazz age club in New York. In 2009, Diane began to publish Zelda Magazine, first issue Fall/Winter 2009, and most recent issue, Spring/Summer 2011.

Diane was stricken with breast cancer in late September, 2010 and succumbed to the disease and its complications on the morning of September 25, 2011 in the presence of her betrothed, Don Spiro, her mother and father, brother, Mark Naegel, Jr., sister in law, Brittany Naegel, and several close friends.

Diane leaves a legacy of beauty, kindness, grace, love and faith with her departure, and she touched the lives of her many friends and admirers. Her Christian faith has made her whole and gave her the strength and courage ‘til the very end.

Arrangements under the direction of Thomas M. Quinn & Sons, Astoria, NY.