Diane Lois Cooper

Diane was predeceased in death by her father; Samuel Higgins, step father; Vern Ranum, husband; Mike Cooper, brothers; Bob Higgins & Tom Higgins, step daughter; Lisa Ellen Mancuso.

Diane is survived by mother; Lucille Higgins-Ranum, husband; Larry Jones, daughter; Mychelle Russell (Mike), son; Jeffery Cooper, sister whom she raised like a daughter; Brenda Ficken (Mike), step son; David Jones (Michelle), brothers; Rick Higgins (Maritza) & Ernie Higgins (Lesa), grandchildren; Rebecca Russell & Austin Russell; nephew & nieces whom she raised like grandchildren; Nicholas (Barbie) & Melissa Ficken; step grandchildren; Kristen Cody & Darren Jones (Aubreyanna), great nephew & nieces whom she raised as great-grandchildren, Logan Ficken, Sophia Ficken, & Savannah Ficken; step great-grandchildren, Aubrie Cody & Aubreyella Jones; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends (all of which she considered family).

Diane was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 21, 1949. She graduated from Edison High School in 1967. She met Mike at her cousins wedding in November of 1968 and married him on Valentine’s Day 1969, despite her Aunt Aleda telling her father Sam, Mike would be no good for her. It was love at first sight. They were soul mates and were married 37 years when Mike passed away, shortly after their anniversary in 2006. Diane was a caregiver her whole life, always taking care of everyone and greatly respected by all she cared for. She helped her parents care for her 4 brothers and 1 sister. She was so excited to get a sister after 4 brothers that she took her sister Brenda everywhere with her. In 1972, when her daughter Mychelle was 2 ½ years old, her husband Mike was in an accident that paralyzed him, putting him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. She, naturally, cared for him. She became a big advocate for all handicapped people and was instrumental in helping to get handicap parking spots at stores in Minnesota. Diane ran a home daycare for many years. She considered and cared for her daycare kids as if they were her own. When a single mom had no transportation, Diane would get up at 5am, go pick up the Mom and her kids, take the mom to work, then care for her kids for 9-10 hours. The winters in Minnesota were exceedingly difficult with Mike’s wheelchair, so in 1981 Diane and Mike decided to move their family to Brandon, Florida. Diane continued her daycare business and volunteered at her children’s schools. After her children Mychelle and Jeff were grown, Diane was a school bus driver in the Dade City area of Pasco County. She cared for the kids on her bus as they were her own. After Mike passed away, she met Larry, who was a widower, losing the love of his life after 39 years. This common loss brought them together making their relationship strong. When Larry’s daughter Lisa was diagnosed with cancer, Diane became an advocate for her. helping her to fight her battle. Diane noticed things were not right with Larry; she researched and got him the help to get a liver transplant caring for him through it all. After her stepfather Vern passed away in 2013, she became one of the primary care givers for her blind, elderly mother Lucille.

Diane loved to travel. Whether driving a motorhome or pulling a travel trailer, her favorite moments were driving around the county visiting friends and family. Making new friends at every stop along the way

Diane never met a stranger. She talked to and treated everyone that came into her life as if they were her family. If you shared a problem with her, she became an advocate to help you solve it. She always had a smile and a hug to give to everyone.

Diane left us very unexpectantly from a heart attack. Even though she had all the signs of heart disease for a woman, the symptoms were over looked because they were not the same as symptoms that we all associate with heart attack. Women have quite different symptoms with heart disease than men. The family who survives her will honor her memory by bringing awareness to and becoming advocates of heart disease and women’s health. May we all find comfort believing that God has a plan, everything happens for His reasons and in His time, not ours.

May God grant us: The serenity to accept the things we cannot change, The courage to change the things we can, and The wisdom to know the difference