Dianne Louise Oakwood

Dianne was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High School and went off to Florida State University in Tallahassee where she studied business and earned a bachelor’s degree. After college, Dianne moved back to Miami and started her career as a Legal Secretary for a long-standing Miami law firm downtown. She liked her job because she learned a lot about estate planning and real estate. She excelled at her job too – she paid attention to detail, was an excellent typist, and was a whiz at grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Dianne married the love of her life, Robert Oakwood, on May 5, 1978. Robert was required to relocate several times during his career… from Miami to Lake Worth, Florida; then to Aurora, Colorado (Dianne liked shoveling snow); back to Miami, Florida (yay); later to Cape Coral, Florida. After retirement, Dianne and Robert moved to Jacksonville, Florida to be with their children. No matter where Dianne and Robert lived, Dianne always set up a warm and welcoming home. She easily made friends no matter where she was.

Dianne had many gifts and talents. She was smart and had varying interests. She picked up a paint brush now and then and had a couple of framed pieces in her home. She was good at needlepoint projects – that takes patience. She enjoyed her orchid plants – well, until she moved to Colorado (remember – the snow). Later in life she discovered beading and would sit on the sofa in front of the TV (“I Love Lucy,” “True Crimes”) creating all kinds of necklaces for all kinds of holidays. She was an avid reader, and she passed her love of books on to her two girls. She allowed them to stay up as late as they wanted as long as they were reading – pretty smart mom. She loved a good murder mystery. She liked playing Scrabble and Boggle and working jigsaw puzzles. She was a good cook – especially with the crockpot, and she could whip up a good dump cake – still a family favorite. And let’s not forget she liked all things kitty cat.

She was a wonderful wife and a wonderful mother. She was patient, kind and forgiving. She never complained about anything. She never said an unkind word about anyone. She was very easygoing and even-keeled.

Dianne is survived by Robert, her beloved husband of 45 years, and their two loving daughters: Ashley Gibas (husband Josh and two children – Ethan and Colin) and Whitney Seay (husband Carlton and three children – Jonah, Theo and Violet). Her family gave her absolute joy. She is also survived by three sisters Christine Barton, Eugenia Pollard and Patricia Galea – the original Four Frey Girls (Dianne #1) are now three.

In recent months, Dianne reveled in hearing a recording of her mother, Marty Frey, singing an all-time favorite hymn, “Amazing Grace.” The hymn includes the lyrics, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.” That’s a promise we can rejoice in. (Better… That’s a promise in which we can rejoice.)

A memorial service for Dianne will be held Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 11801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL with a reception to follow.