Diane Gardner passed peacefully on the morning of July 15, 2023. She was a brave and loyal mom, a supportive, loving grandma, an amazing great grandma, a devoted wife, a steadfast friend, and an all-around beautiful person. So many of us were inspired by her love of family, the outdoors, travel, skiing, animals, books and a nice glass of white wine.
Diane was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. A few years after graduating from high school, she married and had 3 children: Robert, Karin, and Linda. Life brought Diane and her family to Pennsylvania, where she raised her kids, met lifelong friends, and discovered her love for the outdoors and skiing.
In 1986, the mountains called to her, so Diane followed her heart and moved to Colorado Springs. Not long afterward, she met the love of her life, Harry. Diane and Harry were destined to be together and married in 1991. Through the years, their blended family grew as they welcomed their children’s partners, spouses, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Diane and Harry visited family and friends, explored National Parks in the US and Canada, hiked whenever they could and skied their buns off in too many resorts to name. Their love for world travel took them to the Caribbean, many European countries, (including Scandinavia and Russia), New Zealand, China, and Egypt. But Diane’s true love for world travel was Africa, and she and Harry visited the continent two times. During their first trip, they went on safari in the Maasai Mara, a national park in Kenya, and visited the eastern nation of Tanzania. Their second trip to Africa included South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. She fell in love with African wildlife and culture and enjoyed sharing stories and photos from her time there.
Diane was a successful Regional Merchandising Manager for Ambassador Cards (a division of Hallmark). After retirement, she and Harry continued traveling and living life to the fullest. Diane fostered beautiful relationships wherever she went. Whether sweating with her pals in Pilates, making great friends in the Blazer’s Ski Club or embracing the time with her beloved sister “Bookies” at book club, Diane was a light in the lives of so many. She was passionate about philanthropy and supported many organizations that were near and dear to her heart.
Diane is survived by: Harry, Rob, Karin, and Linda; her daughters through marriage, Daisy (Lew) and Molly; her granddaughters, Aleah (Gus), Patchouli (Steve), Laurel (Ben), Ella, Alex, and Adelaide; and her great grandsons, Lucas, Zachary and Nikoli.
As we celebrate Diane’s life, please consider:
Sending a greeting card to someone - whether for a special occasion or just to say hello. It’s a sweet way to honor Diane, as she loved sending and receiving cards.
A Memorial Donation in Diane’s name: These are a few of the organizations that Diane regularly gifted to:
Note: If, while making your donation, you’d like to notify Diane’s family of your gift, please use [email protected] as the contact when prompted on the websites. Linda will be certain to let the family know about your gift.
• World Wildlife Fund
• The ASPCA
• The Audubon Society
• Leukemia Research Foundation
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