Diana Castagna Restuccio

She was born to Angelina and Sam Castagna on May 19th, 1924 in the coastal city of New London, Connecticut. She was the sixth child of a family of eight: Tommy, Connie, Angelo, Sammy, Josephine, Diana, Leatrice and Flavia. “She loved to dance,” recalls Flavia. “We used to go to the beach at Reese park. She was always there for me. She was sharp, bright and we always had great conversations. I miss her tremendously.”

Diana showed an early interest in visual arts and spent many hours of her childhood drawing and painting. When she was in her teen years she wrote and illustrated a series of original detective comics books called “The Paynes”. After she graduated high school she worked as a drafting artist at the boatyards in New London. At one point she was offered a position to work on the popular comic strip “Blondie”. When she moved to Brooklyn, New York she took painting classes at Brooklyn College of Art and became an accomplished portraitist. She then met and married John Vincent Restuccio.

As a homemaker and mother she loved making big Italian meals from scratch, designing and working in her garden and entertaining family and friends with hilarious stories. Often she would act them out making up funny voices for the characters. She also continued to work as an artist painting compelling works and frequently making posters and designing decorations for the festivals at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church.

The family moved to Jackson, Tennessee in 1976. Diana continued to work as a professional portrait artist for many years including painting the portrait of the popular priest Father “Jay” Jackson at St. Mary’s Church that continues to hang in their ministry center.

Diana loved music: classical, opera and pop and was a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Andrea Bocelli. She also attended many Broadway musicals including the original 1957 “Westside Story” with Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert. Diana adored animals and always had at least one cat or dog running around the house her entire life. Always trying new things she took up still photography at the age of 80.

She will always be remembered as a vital, insightful, intelligent, creative and dynamic presence and force for good in the family. Diana enthusiastically encouraged everyone that she met to find their greatness, be all that they could be, and live up to their God given potential. We will miss her.

She's survived by her sister Flavia Enright, three sons: Daniel, Jeffrey and James; five grandchildren: Chiani, Nicholas, Josh, Kristen and Caleb; four great-grandchildren: Finnegan, Bellamy, Cassidy, and Zachary and two cats: “Brittany” named after Britney Spears and “Baby” after Baby Face Nelson.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.GeorgeASmithandSons.com for the Restuccio family.