Diana Marie Braman

Diana Marie Braman from South Dennis, died peacefully on August 3, 2026 at the age of 67 after a hard fought battle with metastatic breast cancer at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Motivated by a fierce love for her young children, Diana beat stage four breast cancer in the late 90’s and lived the next 28 years as a proud Cancer Survivor. She will forever be remembered and celebrated as a Survivor who continued to fight her second recurrence of breast cancer with tremendous strength and determination until the day she passed.

Diana was born on June 21, 1959 to Annette and Gary Hackett. A proud, native Cape Codder, Diana grew up in Chatham surrounded by a large family of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. As a child Diana spent many Friday nights at the Chatham Band Concerts at Kate Gould Park and later passed this beloved tradition down to her own children. She enjoyed many happy holidays in houses full of relatives and always looked forward to participating in the annual family tradition of Yankee Swap every Christmas, her favorite holiday. Her first and forever friends in life were her three sisters: Erin, Lisa and Sheri who accompanied her throughout life’s many adventures with laughter and an abiding sisterly devotion. Throughout her life, Diana joyfully and humorously recounted stories of the Hackett Sisters’ teenage mischief and the many memories they made working at their family’s local business, The Port Fortune Inn and Restaurant in Chatham. The eldest of the four daughters, Diana often recalled her loving commitment to protect and care for her younger sisters growing up, a duty her sisters fulfilled for her in return throughout the years, but especially during her final battle with cancer.

Diana graduated from Chatham High School in 1977 alongside numerous friends. Known for her welcoming, warm and outgoing personality, Diana is remembered by many as the first person to befriend them when they moved to Chatham or joined a new club or sport. She had a special ability to see the people who needed a quiet word of encouragement and invited everyone into belonging wherever she went. A true social butterfly, Diana was an active member of her school community and participated in field hockey, softball, cheerleading, drama club and class committees that planned important events like prom and more. Throughout her life, Diana remained particularly close to her best friend from childhood, Moira, who shared many fun memories with her into young adulthood and beyond. Diana was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give her love and say goodbye to so many friends and relatives who she reconnected with in the days before her death.

Diana became the first member of her family to attend an institution of higher education and graduated with an associate’s degree in bookkeeping from Fisher Junior College in Boston in 1979. Always a hard worker with a determination to fight through adversity, Diana independently supported herself throughout her degree program, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. She eventually became the bookkeeper at Factory Shoe Mart in Dennis where she met her husband Wayne Braman. Diana and Wayne celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary on April 20, 2026. Wayne will forever remember the overwhelming feeling of love, happiness and security he felt when, after a long period of friendship, he and Diana decided to get engaged on just their second date. The two married in 1985 at Our Lady of the Cape in Brewster.

Diana’s greatest love and deepest devotion belonged to her and Wayne’s children, Joshua and Stephanie. Overjoyed to become a mother, Diana welcomed Joshua to the world in June 1989. Stephanie shortly followed in January 1991. For the rest of her life, all of her energy, passion and purpose went into providing for and loving her children. Her children remember the many ways their Mom created joy in the small things like themed birthday parties, “Diana’s Breakfast Sandwiches” on weekends, long beach days at Corporation Beach, outings to Frosty’s in Dennis for soft serve ice cream or coffee Fribbles at Friendly’s, stockings packed with trinkets on Christmas, Irish lullabies sung on sleepless nights and mostly, the laughter and silliness she brought with her wherever she went.

When Diana was first diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, her children were in elementary school. She bravely endured a single mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. When asked what that time of her life was like, Diana would always recount that she “knew her kids needed their mom” and she “couldn’t leave them.” She fought as hard as she could until she entered remission. Because Diana was a fighter, a Survivor and a self-proclaimed “stubborn Irish woman,” Joshua and Stephanie had the love and presence of their mom for 28 more years. Diana’s sacrificial love was the greatest gift she gave as a mother. Diana proudly walked every Survivor’s lap at the local Relay for Life with her family beside her for years to come. She also spent those extra years providing emotional support and camaraderie to fellow breast cancer patients, always generously and freely giving back to those who crossed her path.

Having earned the First Class Award in Girl Scouts in high school, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting at the time, Diana took on the role of Troop Leader for local Girl Scout Troop 300. She supported Stephanie and all the girls of the troop for 7 years through Daisies, Brownies and Juniors. In addition to years of weekly troop meetings, Diana enthusiastically led camping trips, community service projects and the annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale. Diana’s longest lasting project with Troop 300 touched thousands of lives: the colorful map of the United States painted on the blacktop at Ezra H. Baker Elementary School’s playground in the late 90’s which still remained as of 2025. Diana was beloved by all the girls in Troop 300 and was considered a “fun mom” who led with lightness and prioritized friendship and positive memories over all else.

As her children got older, Diana attended nearly every game, concert, competition, showcase, performance or event her children participated in. Joshua and Stephanie will always remember their mom sitting in the crowd, so content and fulfilled to witness them engaging in their passions and accomplishing their goals. Diana was also known by her children’s friends as the mom who’d invite them to stay for dinner, buy the snacks and rent the movies for sleepovers and drive them anywhere they wanted to go. For several years, Diana helped run the Dennis Senior Center’s Sunday Bingo Game which raised funds for the DY Band Program that Stephanie and her friends were a part of. Parents were only required to volunteer once a month or so, but Diana was there almost every week, generously giving her time and talents so that her daughter and every other young musician in the program had opportunities to travel, compete and perform in new uniforms.

Diana continued her career as a bookkeeper and receptionist, working for decades at a local dentist office with Dr. Linda Fortenberry. Diana was the sunny, smiling face that welcomed every patient into the office. Everywhere around town, Diana would run into people she knew, stopping to catch up and share well wishes. When asked how she knew so many people, she’d say “Oh, they come into the office.” Just by seeing the same people every 6 months for their regular check ups, Diana built connections with people that lasted years. It’s unsurprising that these friendly acquaintances would always ask about Joshua and Stephanie as Diana kept their pictures prominently displayed at her desk and routinely gushed about them to everyone in the waiting room. For many years Diana also served as the Secretary of the Cape Cod Dental Society where she met Dr. Seth Latimer. She worked in Dr. Latimer’s pediatric dentistry office for several happy years, bringing her sweet and friendly spirit to the youngest patients and their families until she passed.

Once her kids were off to college, Diana spent her days finding as much fun and friendship as she could everywhere she went. Wayne and Diana were regulars at Doyle’s in Yarmouth and Tiki Port in Hyannis where she casually befriended the staff and brought warmth and humor with her every time she went in. Whenever home for visits, Joshua and Stephanie joined their parents for lunch and Diana would eagerly introduce her children to the staff, shining with pride. Of course, the staff already knew exactly who they were as Diana spent so much of those lunch dates sharing stories about her incredible kids. How lucky they were to be known by so many simply through their mother’s exuberant love.

Diana and Wayne looked forward to their annual Atlantic City Bus Trips. Diana couldn’t wait to relax on the bus with her favorite drinks and snacks, socialize with friends old and new, take in live entertainment and explore the ocean views along the boardwalk. Every August, Diana and Wayne spent a week at the family’s timeshare at The Cove at Yarmouth. Her favorite place to be was out on the patio at The Loft Shack, reveling in a tropical cocktail and singing along with the live music. The pair also loved catching their favorite musicians, comedians or cover bands at the Melody Tent every summer.

At home, Diana leaned into her creative side by decorating for every holiday. Her beloved wooden hutch stood in the dining room, always adorned with seasonal dishes, figurines, art and flowers. She enthusiastically collected antique spaghetti trim Christmas characters, displayed years and years of photos of Joshua and Stephanie with the Easter Bunny and Santa, found the perfect Fourth of July or St. Patrick’s day vases, put up old holiday greeting cards she’d been sent by friends years ago, and made sure there were at least 6 ceramic turkeys on the hutch for Thanksgiving. The mantle above the fireplace was a permanent shrine to the New England Patriots, a loyal lifelong fan. Every Sunday during football season, Diana and Wayne could be found lighting the sacred “Patriot’s Candle” for good luck and shouting at the TV for the duration of the game.

When Diana’s mother-in-law, Flo, could no longer live independently due to her worsening Alzheimer’s Disease, Diana and Wayne welcomed her into their home, becoming sole caretakers for her until her passing several years later. Flo was the matriarch of the Braman

Family and was absolutely adored by all. Having lost her own mother decades earlier, Diana was so grateful to have another motherly relationship in her life. Flo, Wayne and Diana were in many ways, best friends as well as family. Diana dutifully cared for Flo in those final years, providing for her every need, sacrificing herself to ensure Flo lived out her days with dignity, respect and abundant love. In the summertime, all three would set up their chairs in the front yard and bask in the sunlight, listening to the birds, their favorite music or stories of old memories that’d make everyone chuckle. Diana gave so much during this time of her life: loyal, devoted and persevering through adversity for the sake of love. In her final moments, Diana shared her hopes of finding Flo, continuing their good times on the other side.

Diana’s later years were filled with the joy of an expanding family. She embraced her daughter-in-law Annemarie and son-in-law Steve as her own, immediately inviting them into family traditions and looking forward to every visit from the young couples. Two of the best days of Diana’s life were spent at her children’s weddings where she danced, laughed and toasted to their futures. Nothing made her happier than seeing Joshua and Stephanie happily starting their own lives.

Second to being a mother, the thing Diana wanted to be most in this life was a grandmother. She started by readily including Joshua and Annemarie’s sweet and gentle dog, Grizzly, as a member of the family. She insisted on filling a stocking for Grizzly every Christmas and gave him his own place on the yearly family tree ornaments. Diana’s thoughtfulness knew no bounds.

Between 2023 and 2024, Diana celebrated the birth of her two grandchildren, Bray and Aria, the adored children of Stephanie and Steve. Diana began her role of Gramma before either child was even born, throwing baby showers, buying cute baby outfits and obsessing over every ultrasound photo and pregnancy update. After their arrival, Diana cherished every minute she had with her grandkids. Even when far apart, Diana remained steadfastly committed to demonstrating her love for them with personal greeting cards for every holiday, the most thoughtful and perfect gifts tailored to their interests and personalities, seasonal outfits delivered to their doorstep and handmade art and notes sent just to say “I love you.” She delighted in every photo, video and story about them. Gramma loved them so deeply and longed for nothing more than to make memories with them as they grew up. In one of her very final moments of joy before she passed, Diana heard a video of Bray saying “I love you Gramma!” for the first time. She nearly leapt out of the hospital bed with excitement and gratitude! Bray and Aria will forever remember their loving Gramma through photos of her hugging them, beaming with adoration.

Diana is missed in a way that only someone who brought endless light, inspiring grit and an indescribable love can be missed. Before she drifted into a peaceful rest, she shared her final wish for all those who loved her: “Know that I am at peace. Find at least one or two small moments of joy every day. Even on your hardest day, find the joy.” When she was struggling with life’s many adversities, Diana drove to her sacred place, the ocean, to watch the sunrise or the sunset. She listened for the songbirds to visit the feeder outside her window. She pulled over to the side of the road to collect wildflowers, brought them to water and let their beauty fill her heart again. We will love and remember you with smiles and laughter forever, Diana.

Diana is survived by her husband Wayne Braman of South Dennis; her son and daughter-in-law Joshua and Annemarie Braman of Kansas City, Kansas; her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren Stephanie, Steven, Bray and Aria Dasman of Sacramento, California; her sisters Erin Woodard of Wareham, MA; Lisa Hackett of Yarmouth, MA; and Sheri Jepson of Harwich, MA