Diana Whittington Barbee

Diana Whittington Barbee of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away on March 14, 2026 at the age of 82. Born on February 22, 1941, in Lexington, North Carolina she grew up attending Grimes Elementary School and graduated from Lexington High School. In 1966 she graduated from Catawba College the first of her family to graduate from college. Diana married her high school sweetheart Daniel in 1967. Moving over the next 10 years, Diana and Dan moved from North Carolina to Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia and finally to Fairfax Virginia until 1988.

Diana worked as an elementary school in a career spanning 47 years. During her career she taught every grade from kindergarten to middle school from Welcome North Carolina to Crozet Virginia.

Near the end of her career and after retirement she was actively involved socially with the Red Hat society and attended Pleasant Grove Methodist church.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Myrtle and Walter B (June) Whittington, her sister and brother in law, Gloria and Pete Brooks, her brother, Craig, a nephew, Dane Brooks and grand niece, Molleigh.

She is survived by her ​Ex husband, Daniel, son, Garth Barbee, daughter in-law Sara, grandchildren Sonja and Clay, sister and brother-in-law Kim and Mike Myers and their children and families.

The family would like to thank all friends in and around Raleigh and the wonderful caregivers from Comfort Keepers for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in their final days.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church on April 16, 2026 at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her honor to the International Rett Syndrome Association.

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