Diana G. O'Daniell

Diana Gayle (Prince) O’Daniell, 58, left this earth on April 20, 2017 with her husband, son & daughter lovingly wishing her farewell. Diana was born in El Reno, OK on September 25, 1958 to Carolyn June (Homier) and Raymond Lee Prince. Diana grew up in Tuttle, OK graduating from Tuttle High School in 1976. She was a member of the band and 4H club excelling in home economics creating many crafts, baked goods and clothing winning many awards for these items entered into county & state fairs. Her interest and enjoyment for sewing extended with her making her own clothes as a teen, into her adulthood producing matching shirts/outfits for her husband & her, husband - son and later her & her daughter. Diana began work at 14 years-old, waiting tables at a local café before school & on weekends. After high school she worked at the “Big TG&Y” at SW 74th & Penn in OKC where she met her future husband, David. On March 10, 1978 she wed David Hugh O’Daniell at Southwood Baptist Church in OKC. She began her career at the State Insurance Commission in the Claims Dept. and for the Investigators. She later worked for a Law firm advancing to para-legal work. She made her big career change to a fulltime stay-at-home mother and homemaker in 1984 shortly after Derek was born. Being diagnosed before 40 with Multiple Sclerosis, she continued her task of mother/homemaker coping with the increasing struggles of her MS. Her strength, determination and downright love allowed her to get our last child, Dana, into her senior year of high school before her MS started limiting her mobility. She continued her fight through the ups & downs to remain independent for many years utilizing a walker around the house. She eventually had to depend on her lifelong companion, David for mobility and total care over the last year of life after advancing complications. Though bedridden she remained positive to the end working so very hard at therapy to build her strength, determined to once again independently travel through the house independently.

Diana enjoyed cats (lot of cats), crafts, antiquing, sewing, quilting, collecting Barbies, scrapbooking, EBAY, Facebook, attending swap-meets and garage sales, being a mother, swimming in the pool, the Voice show, Days of Our Lives, Dr. Phil, Judge Judy and watching horror & thriller movies.

Diana was predeceased by our lovely little daughter Ashley Denise O’Daniell; her parents June Carolyn and Raymond Lee Prince; her sister Gwenda K. Martinez; her maternal grandparents Orval and Lula Homier, her paternal grandparents Luther and Anna Mae Prince and her brother and sister-in-law Mark Ray and Tami O’Daniell. She is survived by her son Derek Adam O’Daniell of OKC; daughter and son-in-law Dana Nicole O’Daniell Moore and Levi Garrett Moore of OKC; Brother and sister-in-law Brian Martin Prince and Jennifer Prince with nieces Kaily and Elizabeth Prince of Newcastle, OK; Mother & Father-in-law Leonard Ray and Virginia Ann O’Daniell of OKC; nieces Michelle Martinez and Peyton Gomez of Yukon, OK; brother-in-law and wife Marty and Linda Martinez; many special loving cousins, nieces and nephews and her husband of the house David Hugh O’Daniell whom she made the happiest dude on earth in 1977 when she said Yes and married me the following year allowing me to share her life, love, companionship, 3 children and all the ups and downs of life. She was the love of my life & we shared more life than most families would in multiple generations. But through it all we had each other to carry on hand in hand up & over every hill that came our way. Sweetheart you will never know just how much I love you and how much I will miss you, I’ll see you soon. We spent every minute of the last year together, me sleeping in the easy-chair, caring for you and focusing totally on you and you’re every need, word, touch. But this time was precious, all those minutes, seconds together our love and closeness shown through. We would reminisce of days goneby and our plans for the future. This closeness adds to the hollow place in my heart which will never be filled. I love you sweetie, take care of Ashley until I can hold you again.

Her memorial service will be held April 25, 2017 at 2:00 pm in the chapel at Bill Merritt Funeral Home, 6201 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK, 73008 with a small graveside service following at Resurrection Cemetery in OKC. Family asks in lieu of flowers for donations to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), a beneficiary of Diana and David’s for many years.