Diane Long

Margaret “Diane” (Duesenberg) Long, 76, of Mesa, AZ, was called home by her Lord, March 19, 2015. Diane battled months of health complications following pneumonia. She was born July 17, 1938 to Warren Duesenberg and Thelma (Bump) Duesenberg, and grew up in Clear Lake, IA. She earned a B.A. in Education from Drake University (1960), where she was an Alpha Xi Delta.

Diane and Bruce, her husband of 55 years, raised their family in Evansville, IN, where Diane was an active volunteer. She was a member of the Evansville Junior League and the Evansville Women’s Club. At First Presbyterian Church, Bruce and Diane sang in the choir for 30 years, and Diane served as elder.

In 1982, she earned her M.Ed. from University of Evansville and taught special education students for 10 years at Central Elementary School (Henderson, KY). Upon retirement, she and Bruce volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and were members at Westminster Presbyterian Church. From 1982 to 2014, Cursillo and Tres Dias interdenominational groups were important in Diane’s life.

Diane & Bruce moved to Mesa, AZ in 2007, where Diane was active in AAUW and at Church of the Master, where she was a deacon and advocate for Singleton Moms non-profit, and worked with C.A.N. (food pantry).

Diane is greatly mourned by husband Bruce; daughter Nancy (Long) Spivey (Michael, sons Matthew and Noah) of Santa Teresa, NM; son Brian Long (son Maxwell and daughter Anna) of Phoenix, AZ; daughter Cindy (Long) Ragsdale (Kyle) of Indianapolis, IN; brother Donald Duesenberg (Shirley) of Mesa, AZ. Additional survivors include Richard and Deanna Long (Mesa, AZ), Janet (Long) and Robert Ford (Albuquerque, NM), and nieces and nephews.

Diane had a passion for her family, her grandchildren, quilting, camping, canoeing, genealogy, and helping others with challenges while enduring her own. She was a faithful doer, always with smile and sparkling eyes, tireless in her availability and care.

A celebration of Diane's life will be held Saturday, April 18 at 2:00, Church of the Master, 6659 E. University Dr., Mesa, AZ 85205, with reception to follow. (Likely, an Evansville, IN celebration will be held later in 2015.)

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Diane’s name to Singleton Moms, singletonmoms.org (Scottsdale, AZ), Habitat for Humanity, evansvillehabitat.org/donate (Evansville, IN), or Church of the Master (www.cotmmesa.org).