Diane was born in Broadwater Down, Tunbridge Wells, in western Kent, England, on the 11th of June 1946, to Walter and Ellen Queenie Greenwood. She was the oldest of her siblings Brian, Vanessa, John, and Valerie. She would often share fond memories of her days on the farm playing with them. Her father gave her a chestnut mare which she named Dumpsy. They were inseparable and the horse would wait by the gate in the field for Diane to come home from school.
Diane often characterized herself as shy or timid as a child, but she had an adventurous spirit and longed to travel. In 1963, she moved to Norwich to attend Pitmans College for shorthand typing and later did some modeling for various companies. She moved to Switzerland in 1966 on an employment exchange program, where she would start her career in hospitality. This would eventually lead her to Bermuda in 1973, where she would work for the The Elbow Beach Hotel.
In May 1974, while working at various hotels, she would meet Victor one evening through mutual friends. She remembers helping Victor up off the floor after he fell in front of her while going to introduce himself. Victor would always say that she was stunningly beautiful. They would fall in love and marry at Parish Church of St. Michael and Angels in Norfolk on January 21st, 1978.
Diane and Victor would pack their bags and move to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1978. The following year, they would move to Dallas, Texas, while Diane was 4 months pregnant with Alain. She enjoyed telling stories of how she drove cross country alone, with all their belongings in a trailer, while Victor was working in Dallas. With just a map in hand, she would arrive while watching the 4th of July fireworks light the night sky. That's the kind of woman she was–brave, independent, persistent, and tenacious.
After arriving in Dallas, Diane gave birth to Alain in January of 1980. They would also buy their first home and open La Tosca. With a lot of determination and grit, they took a small loan and developed the business into one of the finest Italian restaurants in Dallas. In 1982, she gave birth to her second son, Andrew ,and moved into her new home five days later, where she remained for the last 38 years.
Diane was a very proud, protective, and loving mother. She had many achievements, but she would contest that her greatest was her family. She was passionate about gardening and thoroughly enjoyed the little jobs around the house. Even putting up a new fence down the side with her two boys digging the holes. She was never afraid to tackle big jobs. Many will remember her for her virtue, diligence, and hard-working nature. She demanded the best from everyone, which made everyone a little better.
We will all miss Diane so much. She was a fighter every day and beat Lymphoma twice, once in 2011 and again in 2018. Her strength and determination were immeasurable, and she defined what doctors thought possible.
Diane was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Queenie, and sister Valerie. She is survived by her spouse Victor, and sons, Alain and Andrew; her brothers and sister, Brian, Vanessa, and John in England; her many nieces and nephews, Alexandra, Chris, and Sophie, as well as numerous grandnieces and grandnephews.
For those of you that knew Diane, you will be very sad to hear of her passing. In memory of Diane and in lieu of flowers, we ask that you please consider contributing to the charity that Diane felt near and dear to her heart below. You can also find more information about her memorial services. While many of you have shared funny anecdotes or fond memories of her on social media, we encourage you to share how she touched your lives in a special way. So we can remember what a caring, loving, beautiful mother, wife, and friend she was to so many people.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Mari Alonso Home on Sunday, April 25th. Please RSVP at the link below below if you would like to attend.
RSVP: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/dianemarialonso
In Lieu of Flowers, Donations are welcomed at: https://gofund.me/77be41bd
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