Deanna Mae Gantz

Not many people’s stories begin and end in the exact same place. For Deanne “Diana” Mae Gantz, life came full circle on December 2, 2020 as she drew her last breath at Memorial Hospital downtown Colorado Springs, the exact place she was born on October 25, 1947. In between, Diana lived a full and generous life, known for her strong work ethic, creativity, passion for learning new things, her love of children and cats (interchangeable for her affection), and most of all, her untiring volunteering spirit.

Diana grew up in rural Colorado, the daughter of Steve and Anna (Eurich) Trojanovich and was baptized in the Orthodox faith. She graduated from Calhan High School in 1965 and attended the University of Northern Colorado where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Throughout her career as a medical laboratory technologist, she lived in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Colorado. She worked the majority of her career at Evans Army Community Hospital in Colorado Springs. After faithful service of over 35 years in the medical field, she was really only getting started. For Diana, retirement (although not actually a word in her vocabulary), meant she could spend her time volunteering, traveling, taking classes, arts and crafts, and learning all kinds of new skills.

Of the many organizations that benefited from her generous volunteerism, Boy Scouts of America was among the first, when she became a dedicated volunteer in the 90’s as a tribute to her son, Steven, who preceded her in death. Officially serving as an Adviser for the Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts (OA-BSA), her service extended far beyond the board room, leading by example in a “hands-on, boots on the ground, sweat and stamina” kind of way. A farm girl at heart, Diana was undaunted by hard work, physical challenges, technical skill, and outdoor adventure – her life as a volunteer embodied the OA-BSA purpose: “to crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.”

Her "habit of helpfulness" showed up in other places as well including Cheyenne Mountain Zoo where she served as a docent for over 20 years. She was especially fond of the wallabies and eagerly participated in outreach and education opportunities. Diana’s “wild side” was also reflected in her service to Parks and Wildlife where she participated in animal programs and lake cleanups.

Her "cheerful service to others" also included regularly volunteering at the Senior Center where she blended her love of people and love of arts and crafts. She also loved volunteering for Colorado Springs CAPS (Community Advancing Public Safety) a partnership with the City’s Police and Fire Departments. In her role, specifically with the CSPD’s Training Academy and Firearms Range, Diana was among those awarded “Unit of the Year” in 2015.

Diana was also a strong advocate for the Space Foundation Space Symposium, any kind of local community event or festival, Slovak traditions, and family history. Diana will always be remembered as a super spreader of off-beat humor, out of the ordinary animal stories, quirky history, kitty memes, nuggets of wisdom, and blessings shared with friends and family as evidenced in one her final Facebook posts: “Tell someone you love them today because tomorrow is not promised. To my family and friends: I love you.” Posted November 25, 2020

We love you, too, Diana. We are sad for us but happy for you to be welcomed Home by your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and of course, your beloved Steven – surely surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, all those who have gone before you. There are lots of us who will miss you until we meet again including sister, Janet Doreen Himelrick, nephew Roger and wife Jackie Himelrick, great-nephews Vadin and Logan, nephew Rodney and wife Samatha Himelrick, goddaughter Toni Dell (Wach) Morse, two kitty cats, and countless cousins, co-workers, and friends.

From now on, Diana, each year on December 2, we’ll put on something in your favorite color blue, tell someone we love them, in honor and memory of you.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for spring/summer 2021 when we can gather to celebrate and remember how Diana touched so many lives. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Diana’s honor to any of the organizations where she invested her time, energy, and enthusiasm.