Diane Sharon Abraham

Diane Abraham, 84, peacefully passed on to a better place on Dec. 26, 2025, at home in Surprise, AZ, with her husband, Daniel Abraham, at her side. Diane had put up a courageous battle with lung cancer for over eight years. She was fortunate to have her two children, their spouses and five grandchildren spend several days with her prior to her passing.

Diane Sharon Starck was born Aug. 1, 1941, in Mandan, ND, to Nathaniel (Tony) and Alice (Kleih) Starck. Diane was raised on a farm near the Heart River southeast of New Salem, ND. She was the youngest child, having three older brothers and a sister. She often helped with the chores including herding cattle during roundup on her favorite horse. Diane attended elementary school in Judson, ND, and grades 8 through 12 in New Salem. She graduated from New Salem High School in 1960. Diane was highly active in high school, holding various class offices, participating in student council, class plays and was a cheer leader. She was also the school's first homecoming queen.

Diane graduated from Moorhead State College, Moorhead, MN, in May 1964 with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with area of concentration in Special Education. On Dec. 27, 1963, Diane married her high school sweetheart Dan Abraham, a marriage that lasted 62 years.

Diane began her teaching career in 1964 near Fargo, ND, for two years, Warren, Ml, for one year and Bismarck, ND, for six years. She taught for nearly 30 years in Rapid City, SD. While teaching in Bismarck and Rapid City, she was instrumental in developing the special education programs required by Title 9 for those two cities. Diane had a passion for helping special needs students and was relentless in her efforts to ensure the classrooms complied with the necessary requirements.

During their early years of marriage, they traveled to Maryland and Michigan when Lt. Abraham started his service in the US Army. While at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, MD, (while Dan was learning how to maintain army equipment), Diane began her lifelong adventure with golf by taking lessons from a golf pro at the base. Maybe that is why she could always give her husband a run for his money in their golf matches and participate competitively in ladies golf leagues in Rapid City and Colorado. While at Dan's first assignment at the Army Tank Automotive Center in Warren, MI, Diane found a teaching position in Warren. They lived on base next to a tank test track and somehow managed to accept the noise. Diane spent the next year teaching in Bismarck while Dan was deployed to Vietnam.

Diane and Dan were blessed with a daughter, Julie in 1968, and a son, Ryan in 1972. The family moved to Rapid City in March of 1973, and Diane and Dan remained there for 32 years. After graduating from high school Julie and Ryan were away at college and employment in Colorado. The years in Rapid City were filled with sightseeing in western South Dakota, skiing in the Black Hills, school sports and band concerts, summer weekend trips to nearby lakes and golfing. Diane made many new and long-lasting friends on the golf course. One much anticipated annual highlight was Mother's Day brunch at Mt. Rushmore. They were active members of Presbyterian USA churches in Bismarck, Rapid City and Colorado. They were further blessed by additions to the family with the marriage of Ryan to Carmen Gerde and grandchildren Logan (2000) and Hannah (2003) and the marriage of Julie to Sean Mooney and grandchildren triplets Blake, Patrick and Colin (2003).

Diane often recalled the special time, the first six weeks of the triplets' lives when she stayed with Julie and Sean to help with the two-hour rotation of feeding and diaper changing. Dan would join them every other weekend to take part in the feeding while Julie was able to rest.

In late 2005 Diane and Dan moved from Rapid City to Centennial, CO, to spend more time with their children and grandchildren. Diane truly cherished spending time with the grandchildren. She also made many new great friends through euchre and bridge clubs, a book club and golfing. Diane's golfing highlights included two hole-in-ones and winning the Littleton Golf Ladies 18 hole Club Championship in 2016.

In their later years in the winter, they enjoyed spending a month in Arizona golfing and sightseeing. After a few years they became 6-month snowbirds between Colorado and Arizona and then moved to Arizona in Aug. 2023.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Orville, Grant, Lynn and sister Betty.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the American Cancer Society or your favorite charity.