Diane M. DeVries
Posted By Direct Cremation of the Seacoast On February 14, 2023 @ 10:18 am In | 116 Comments
Diane DeVries, 46, passed away at her home on February 11, 2023 following a long illness. She was born Diane Marie Chobanian on February 1, 1977 in Dover, NH, the daughter of George & Marie Chobanian.
Diane grew up in Lebanon, ME, and resided in Dover and Milton, NH with her loving husband Chris DeVries. She was a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas in Dover, NH, where she sang and worked in theater, surrounding herself with a new group of lifelong friends. She attended the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, ME, graduating with a degree in English.
As a child, Diane grew up on a 40 acre farm, where she developed her love of horses and exploring nature. An only child, Diane spent long days outside at the farm, with friends or alone, studying birds and insects. From early days, she worked at nearby horse barns, learned to jump and ride dressage, performing in local competitions, and eventually getting her own beloved horse Kayna. She excelled at reading at an early age, and displayed a young talent at sketch art. She would pick snails off the rocks during summer evening visits to Wells Beach, and trips to Acadia quickly grew her love of the seashore. These experiences fed her love of environment and art that she carried through her life.
Diane had a passion for helping others, a gift for bringing people together, and a light about her soul that attracted others to her. Early in her career, she guided her passion to start Digrafika, a graphic design and marketing company, through which she helped other small businesses improve their brand awareness, and created logos that are visible today across many seacoast businesses. She served for a time as Vice President of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce Board, where she thrived on connecting others and strengthening the business community of Rochester.
Diane had a lifelong passion for music and singing. She joined chorus in Junior High, singing solos through High School productions. In her adult years, she sang for nearly 20 years with the Granite State Choral Society of Rochester. She served for a time as Vice President of the chorus board, and focused on strengthening the visibility and community engagement of the chorus. For the chorus’ 40th anniversary, she led the commissioning of an original piece of music about the city of Rochester, and co-wrote original lyrics to the piece. She participated in performing the original piece in the city of Rochester.
Later in her career, she changed directions to follow her deep connection with nature. She enrolled at the University of New Hampshire, and acquired a degree in Environmental Science. This helped her join NH Sea Grant in 2021, part of UNH Extension. A perfect fit for the organization, she quickly helped Sea Grant increase the success of their community outreach programs, connecting with many volunteers. This opportunity brought her on many trips to Appledore Island at the Isles of Shoals, experiences that fed her soul with the beauty of its small, unique habitat.
Diane loved many hobbies. She had a passion for animals and had many through her life, including a goat named Jesse The Goat. She designed and built a backyard chicken coop and kept hens. She chose to study martial arts and became a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She sang as lead in a cover band with local business friends. She loved kayaking and boating at Ossipee Lake with friends and family. She deeply loved exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and shared that love with anyone that would join. With her husband Chris, they shared a passion for hiking, summiting more than 75 mountains over her last six years, including six summits of Mount Washington. Chris and Diane completed 32 of New Hampshire’s 48 4000-footers together.
Diane is survived by her husband of 19 years, Chris DeVries of Milton, NH, her parents George & Marie Chobanian of Lebanon, ME, father-in-law Mark DeVries of Exeter, NH, brother-in-law Dana DeVries, his wife Amy, niece Lily and nephew Miles of Litchfield, NH, her godchild Freya Kenyon of Cumberland, ME, numerous aunts, uncles & cousins.
A celebration of life reflecting Diane’s love and spirit is being planned for a date and location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Laudholm Trust, PO Box 1007, Wells, ME 04090.
A Celebration of Life reflecting Diane’s love and spirit will be held Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 12-4pm at Seacoast Science Center, 570 Ocean Blvd in Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Laudholm Trust, PO Box 1007, Wells, ME 04090.
Condolences for the family of “Diane M. DeVries”
Dear Alisha,
We thank you very much for your kind words about our Diane. She truly was a very special wife, daughter, friend, co-worker, and loving member of our family. She brought her ready smile and gentle ways to all who knew her. We will miss her and love her forever.
DIANE’S CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 28TH 2023 AT THE SEACOAST SCIENCE CENTER IN RYE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
TIME NOON TO 4 P.M.
570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870
CHRIS GEORGE AND MARIE
CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR DIANE DEVRIES FYI
To Diane’s loved ones,
I’ve known Diane since the day she was born and I cherished our friendship until the end, and will continue to do so. I know God has a plan for Diane’s beautiful soul, but I am just devastated over her loss. I pray for peace for everyone who is grieving for Diane. May she Rest in Peace and find fun adventures along the way.
Abby,
We treasure the love and friendship that you had for Diane and smile at the fun memories that you and Diane shared at our farm and at your home with your family. Even though you moved away you continued to keep in touch with Diane and that made her so happy. She shared her fun stories with us and kept us up to date on your family in Florida. Thank you for the love you share with George and Me as well. We love you.
Diane’s spirit, as outlined in this beautiful obituary, will live on in my heart forever. My lovely niece, you were always a joy to our family, and you have left your light here to guide us through good times and bad. It will never dim.
Marie, George and Chris…my deepest sympathy. Love and strength to you. ♥️
Dear Leona,
We thank you so much for the love we all shared with Diane. She loved her family so much and spoke of you all to her friends as well.
George and Marie , my heart goes out to you at this time. You have my deepest sympathy. You are in my thoughts and prayers
Ann,
We thank you so much for writing to us. We think of you so often when we chat with Abby or think of your wonderful brothers.
I’m so sorry to hear about Diane. I knew her from my BNI group over 10 years ago. She was such a positive light with a beautiful bright smile. She was kind and compassionate and will surly be missed my so many. Sending my condolences
Stacey
We thank you so much for writing to us and sharing your love of Diane.
Dear Marie and George
My heart goes to you, my deepest sympathy for the loss of your daughter!
We thank you so much for thinking of us in our sorrow.
Chris, Marie and George, I do not have the words to express my feelings for your loss of such an amazing, beautiful, talented and loving person to have known and had the pleasure of singing with.
💔 Gretyl and I will hope to celebrate her life with you.
Thank you so much for your love and friendship. It meant so much to Diane.
So beautifully written. To read all her accomplishments is amazing, so few can achieve this in a lifetime, and for her to do it in such a short time shows what an amazing person she was and her zest for life. Inspirational. We love you all and are thinking of you ❤️❤️❤️ Matt, Jenn and Nolan
Jen, Matt, and Nolan
We thank you so much for your email and loving words about our Diane.
Chris, Marie and George,
My memories with Diane circle around singing in GSCS with her for many years. Always seeing Marie in the audience, her daughter’s number one fan. Marie – you always made me smile. Chris was never far away, assisting with whatever task was needed that concert. Diane will be so missed. She was an amazing person and I’m so sorry for your loss. Prayers for peace and solace during your impossibly difficult time.
We thank all of our friends and family and Diane and Chris’ friends for such beautiful sentiments. about Diane. She truly was a special child who grew into an amazing adult. It is true that Diane had a zest for life and learning and wanted to be a part of everything that was good. She made friends so easily because she loved people of all ages and was a great friend to them as well. We will never forget her or the example that she set for us.
A beautiful soul has left this life, but memories of Diane will never leave the hearts of all who were privileged to share in her life’s journey. Always smiling and welcoming, Diane’s goodness extended to everyone she met.
Chris, George, and Marie, you were blessed by God’s gift to you in Diane, a loving, generous, and sweet wife and daughter.
Please know that we sorrow with you but also rejoice that we had the opportunity to know and love Diane.
Dear Mary Jane and family,
We thank you so much for writing to us and letting us know what Diane’s friendship has met to you and to many others. Diane was always smiling and welcomed everyone of every age into her circle of friends. She was like that even as a child. We truly felt blessed to have our Diane and considered her a gift. She was loving and kind and generous and we felt so proud to call her our daughter.
We miss her light and love already and will each and every day of our lives.
We couldn’t have loved her more or been more proud of her accomplishments and zest for life. Forever in our hearts. ❤️
We love you Lorry and Ralph. Diane loved you both so much.
Chris, George n Marie
My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Truly beautiful and so very special my cousin Diane. A beautiful tribute of her amazing Life. Please know in our Hearts We your Family are here for you All ooxx🙏
Dear Nancy and family,
Diane loved all of you so much and shared so many fun stories with Chris about all of her adventures with you at her grandparent’s house and at her Cousin Bobbi’s house. She smiled so much remembering those great times with her cousins and your Dad too.
I remember Diane when she was a student at Saint Thomas Aquinas. She was always a wonderful student and a lovely young woman. I send my condolences to her family.
We thank you so much for your thoughts and expression of sympathy in our loss.
Love and sympathy to Diane’s family. She was a true lux in tenebris.
Sarah,
Diane spoke of her friendship with you often. Thank you very much for writing.
Chris, George & Marie,
I will Always cherish my memories of our childhood together and all the times we would play at your home in Lebanon and outside at the farm. She will be greatly missed. May you all find peace, my deepest condolences.
Carrie,
Thank you so much for your kind words and friendship to Diane and to us over the years. I always enjoyed seeing you and talking with you especially because of your strength and courage. I needed that too as this battle raged on. We are lucky to have Diane’s friends love and support not only for Chris but for us at this time. There were so many wonderful friends and co-workers who helped us through Diane’s illness and who went over and above the call of duty. They are still checking in and dropping by and sending notes to us. They made lunches and dinners for Chris and Diane and did chores and anything else that needed to be done. We will never forget any of them. A very special group of friends for sure. Diane always had wonderful friends throughout her life whether they were childhood friends or adult friends and co-workers. We were lucky to be around many of them and to know them well.
I’m so sorry to learn of your loss. Diane was an amazing woman when I knew her best in high school and I’m not at all surprised at all she accomplished later on. What a loss for this world – she will be missed. Our family’s hearts are with you all at this difficult time. With love,
Dear Aisling and family,
We thank you so much for you kind words remembering Diane and how special she was to her friends and family. Diane did go on to accomplish much in her too short years. She was always searching and reaching for something new and challenging and always achieved it because she worked hard. We remember you and your brother, Jarlath at St. Thomas and Diane spoke fondly of both of you. She valued all of her friendships and kept them close to her heart even when she did not see them for a long time. You are so right Aisling, it is a tremendous loss not only for us but for the world. We will never understand why she was taken from us.
Fondly,
George and Marie
The loss of our beautiful Diane is immeasurable our family and the world have lost a very special person who accomplished much in her short life. Diane was our niece and our godchild. We watched her grow from a beautiful baby girl into an adult. With goals of making this a better world. She will be deeply missed.l
Dear Mike and Anita and family
Diane loved you all so much and looked forward to all of our visits to your home. You made your home an inviting place for family gatherings and holidays and we will never forget them. We have so many photos taken around the table and the Christmas tree with Diane smiling her big beautiful smile alongside her cousins and her aunts and uncles. We treasure those moments and hold them close. Thank you for your beautiful posts about our precious Diane who made such an impact on us and the world. She is our guiding light and our angel forever.
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi- 🙏
Dear Marie and Family,
I am so sorry to hear of your daughter Diane’s passing. May she rest in peace. May you and your family find some peace following this tragic loss.
Thank you so much Pat. We appreciate your comforting words. The loss is immense.
Chris, George and Marie,
Words cannot express how sad we are for you with your loss of Diane. The obituary you wrote is a wonderful tribute to Diane and her life. She seemed to live the fullest life possible. Our thoughts continue to be with you. Our love to you.
Cathy and Dick
Thank you so much Cathy and Dick,
You have known Diane since she was born and she loved you very much and looked forward to hearing from you. Chris did a beautiful job writing Diane’s obituary. She certainly filled every day with her excitement for learning and contributing something new everyday. She brought so much joy and love to us.
So sorry to hear about Diane. She was a wonderful girl to grow up with in Lebanon. She will be sorely missed.
Nicole
We thank you for writing and for your memories of growing up and attending school with Diane. She loved and remembered all of her friends from every walk of life and she had so many.
Dear Family of Diane,
I had the privilege of working with Diane at Cafe on the Corner. I was the baker,she was a batista. She was so much fun and her deep,joyous laugh was infectious. I later trained her to take over my job before she started her company with her husband. I found this out when years ago I ran into at Hannafords. I am deeply saddened at finding out today of her passing. You are all in my prayers as you struggle with such a great loss.
My heart broke today 💔 😢
Love and God Bless,
Jennifer Herlihy
Thank you Jennifer. Your post brought us back quite a few years when Diane worked hard to get through college. She always enjoyed working since the age of 16 because she made a lot of friends along the way. Our hearts are broken as well.
I am so saddened to hear this news. I did not know Diane well, but I can see she certainly accomplished a lot in a much too short period of time. Knowing you two, Marie and George, I can see why she grew up the way she did. You will have a big hole in your life, try to fill it with all the happy memories you have. My heart goes out to you, lots of love and hugs and prayers are being sent your way.
Thank you Cindy for you post. We certainly do have a big hole in our hearts and we honestly know that it can never be filled. Diane was so dynamic and filled with life she kept us young at heart. She always had a new idea or fun activity and involved us. We were always on the go with Diane and her husband, Chris and now we are at a loss.
Thank you for thinking of us.
Chris Marie and George. Words of sympathy feel inadequate in expressing grief and sorrow for the loss of Diane . Sending a warm embrace and all my love during this sad time .
Thank you Bill. We love you and know how much you and Ed and family loved Diane. we will take your wonderful hugs anytime.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Diane’s passing. I worked with her for a few years long ago. She was such a sweetheart. Please accept my deepest sympathies.
Thank you Stacey. I remember Diane speaking about her friendship with you often when she worked with you. Diane always spoke about her friends from school and from her many places of work. I loved it when she shared those memories with us. She truly was a sweetheart and we miss her so much already and forever.
To Diane’s family;
I am so sorry to hear of Diane’s passing. She brought joy and light to any room she entered. I was fortunate to get to know her at GSCS and then thru the Chamber. She had such a beautiful voice and had a kind spirit. You are all in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Mary,
Thank you very much for your kind words about our Diane. Reading the posts from friends and family give us a measure of comfort knowing how much Diane was loved and appreciated.
George and Marie,
I was so sad to see that your daughter had passed, may all of your loving memories help you during your grieving process and help you find a smile through the many tears that will be shed.
Keep an eye out for the signs of your beautiful angel making visits to you when you least expect it.
My heart is breaking for both of you.
Thank you so much Bev. We certainly will keep an eye out for the signs of our beautiful angel. I am always open and aware and looking for a sign.
I am heartbroken for your loss. Diane was such a wonderful, caring person. She served on the
board of Arts In Reach and was always a pleasure to work with. Diane cared about our teens. She attended
many of the showcases and helped to design marketing materials. We were sorry to lose her when
she went back to school for environmental science, but knew she would make a positive impact where ever she went. My sincere condolences to the family.
Dear Mary-Jo,
Arts in Reach was one of the non-profits that Diane cared deeply about for many years. She was also passionate about the teens at Dover Children’s Home. Diane brought me to a function one evening at Arts in Reach when the girls were showcasing some of their work. I got to meet some of the young woman and member of the board. Thank you so much for writing to Chris and to George and Me. We truly appreciate hearing from all of Diane’s many friends and programs that she held close to her heart.
Marie George and Family
So sorry for your loss it is impossible for me to imagine such a tragedy. You and your family are in my thought and prayers.
Thank you so much Jerry. It is such a tragedy that is unimaginable . We struggle to find an answer to how this could ever happen to Diane but of course there are not answers. It doesn’t make sense.
What a well written take on Diane’s rich and adventurous life. My thoughts and heart are heavy for George, Marie and Chris. I wish for you, light and strength.
thank you so much Becca.
Marie and family I am very sorry to hear of your daughter’s passing.
Thank you Patsy. We go back a long time when we worked together at the middle school. I know that you must have heard many stories back then as I spoke of Diane who was in middle school. It is so good to hear from you and we thank you for thinking of us at this unimaginable time.
Dear Marie, George, and family members,
If I had the words to ease your sadness, I would gladly offer them now.
What an exceptional young woman we had for a sadly short period of time The beautifully written announcement helped me to understand a little bit of who she was, despite never having met.
May the memories of her voice, her smile, and her laughter bring you comfort in the days ahead.
My heartfelt sympathies,
Thank you Kristine. I know that you and Melissa heard me speak often of our beautiful Diane. She was our joy and we truly miss her voice and her smile and her wonderful laughter. Chris was able to write about Diane’s life because he witnessed so much of her passion for her family, friends, and the environment. Then of course she told him of her childhood memories and adventures. Chris often told us that after nearly 20 years of marriage Diane still had plenty more fun stories to tell him about life on the farm and our vacations along the coast and in the White Mountains.
For such a short period of time Diane lived her life to the fullest everyday.
I am so sorry for your loss of Diane, a beautiful soul. I saw her name in the paper and was deeply saddened. I went to the cremation website to read her obituary and felt myself smile as I read about what a beautiful life she lead. She really defines inspiration. I knew Diane from the Rochester Chamber. We huddled together at many a business after hours. I am so sorry that you lost your beautiful, gracious daughter, wife, friend.
Dear Kathy,
Thank you for writing to Chris, George, and Me and to our family and friends,
Diane is a beautiful soul and always will be in our hearts. Chris wrote a special tribute to Diane and the life she lived.. She truly made the most of her time with us in 45 years. She had just celebrated her 46th birthday on February 1st and had so many more interesting plans for the future. She never stopped pushing ahead and looking forward. That is how she lived her life until the end. Diane will always be an inspiration to us and to many others who have told us the same. Diane made many friends through her business and the Rochester Chamber. She enjoyed socializing with all of you at business after hours. We will always hold our beautiful and gracious daughter close to our hearts. The loss is immense.
I had the pleasure of working with Diane for a very short, too short of time at the NH Sea Grant. She was such a positive force and always a bright light. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.
Dear Barbara,
Diane loved working with the people at Sea Grant and UNH. She was finally able to pursue her passion for the environment and to explore the areas that sparked her interest. In the short time that she worked with you she never stopped talking about the next activity that she and her co-workers were planning. We will never forget her description and pictures of her trips out to Appledore Island with the marine docents.
We always refer to Diane as our bright light who lit up our lives everyday and brought positive energy to anyone around her. She was very special and one of a kind.
Thank you for your message and thoughts about Diane.
I remember Diane and her passion for theater and song from our years at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. What a wonderful person and I know her light will continue to shine. My condolences to her family.
Betsy
Thank you very much for writing and sharing your memories of Diane in high school.
Thank you Betsy for your condolence in the loss of Diane. She truly loved theater and song and spent her school years singing, dancing, and acting. Later in her adult life she continued singing with the GSCS for many years and even in what she called her “garage band”. Diane filled every moment of every day of her life with hard work, love, hobbies, and kindness toward everyone she met. Thank you for shring your memories of our Diane.
I’m so sorry to hear of Diane’s passing. My deep condolences to your entire family. Without reservation, I can say that Diane was one of the kindest and most creative people I have ever met. And I feel lucky to have worked with her. I was always in awe of the fact that, although she didn’t have a design degree, she was one of the best designers I have ever worked with. But that seemed par for the course for Diane. She wasn’t a trained coder either, yet she created some of the most beautiful websites. There was seemingly nothing she didn’t excel at. Add in her endless other creative abilities, like writing, singing, etc., and it’s easy to see that she was an extraordinary person.
But more than all that, she was just a joy to be around and made everyone’s lives happier just by her presence. I remember her telling me that she was on the board of so many organizations that a new one asked and she said she would have to turn them down. The next day I asked how they took it, and she told me that she decided to help because they needed someone with her skill set. Of course she did, because that is who Diane was, a selfless, empathetic, funny, wonderful human being. And she will be deeply missed.
Dear Kevin,
George and I would like to thank you for this special post of your memories of Diane. We remember well your working together as designers and web masters. Diane was a very fast learner and once anyone showed her how to do something she had it down pat. Plus, Diane spent a lot of time reading and studying anything when given a task to complete. She always amazed us with her creativity and skills. What more she was willing to share her knowledge. The thing we admired most about Diane was her humility. She did not need to brag or boast. It was not her style.
We also feel as you do about the joy that Diane brought to all of us just by her presence. You are right that is just who Diane was selfless, caring, funny and a wonderful human being. You got it all right there and we were all blessed to be surrounded by such an extraordinary human being. We are lucky enough to call her our daughter. She will be missed everyday of our lives.
So sorry for your’s & your family’s loss Chris. There are no words that can ease your pain; but, we are here for support if u need. Denny & Diane Anderson
Dear Denny and Diane,
We thank you very much for your kind words. We agree with you that the pain is so real and intense for Chris and for us. We appreciate all of the support that we receive from friends and family. Diane was simply amazing in so many ways and we miss her so much each and every moment. She was such a joy and and gave us so much love. Chris and we are holding on to one another.
So sorry to hear of Diane’s passing.Mountview will miss her!!! Sincerely, Dianne Cahill
Thank you so much. Diane is missed by so many friends and family we loved spending time with Chris and Diane at Mountview. So many fun times with them and their Mountview friends.
Chris, Marie and George,
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Diane. I enjoyed talking with her at Mountview over the past 7 years. She was a ray of sunlight. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you during this most difficult time.
MarianneBurke and Charlie Byrne
Thank you Marianne and Charlie. Diane loved being at her camp and sharing Lake Ossipee with us. We would take walks around the neighborhood and down to the water and Diane would wave and smile at her neighbors and friends. We appreciate your comforting note to us.
Jim and Delores say
Dearest Chris
After reading the obituatey about your beautiful wife Diane I felt as though I knew her. Beautifully written as you wrote of her many gifts and talents.
She was a real GIFT to you Chris and you were blessed by a very, short visit on earth with her. And you as well were certainly a GIFT to her.
Our heats are with you- our prayers are with you- and we want you to know that if there is anything we can do to help you through this time please call on us.
May the Lord, bless and keep you close and may you never ever feel alone in His Presence.
Also we send our love and condolences to your Dad and Dana
Jim and Delores says
Chris
Our prayers and our thoughts are with you. Your lovely wife Diane was a gift to you and all that knew her. You experienced so many memories and you loved one another. These are the memories that make the heart whole again. On this journey please know that you can call us. We would be honored to listen.
May the Lord bless you and with Him at your side you will never, ever be alone.
Chris, George, and Marie thank you so much for your kinds words and blessings.
Marie, George and other family and friends: I was shocked to hear of the passing of your daughter Diane. It doesn’t seem like the natural order of things. Please accept my prayers and condolences for all of you 🙏 ❤️ 🙏❤
Dear Janet,
Thank you so much for your note of sympathy for the loss of our beautiful daughter, Diane,
You are right it is not the natural order of things at all. That is why none of this makes any sense. We will never understand how a young, healthy, energetic woman could be taken from us and the world in such a way. George and I will miss the light of our life who brought us so much joy. We will hold her close forever.
Love,
G and M
I am so sorry for your loss, I can’t even imagine the pain. Sending prayers for you and your daughter
Diane,
We thank you so much for your sympathy in our loss. It is something that you can’t imagine until you are going through it. Our Diane was a very special young woman who gave so much of herself to so many causes that she held dear to her heart. Her empathy for others and her love of our environment was immense. I wish that you could have known her. I know you would agree.
We will miss our daughter forever but hold her close to our hearts always.
Love,
M and G
Sorry for your loss. May the Lord be with you ✝️
DIANE’S CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 28TH 2023 AT THE SEACOAST SCIENCE CENTER IN RYE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
TIME NOON TO 4 P.M.
570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870
CHRIS GEORGE AND MARIE
FYI CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR DIANE DEVRIES
Dear Marie & George, There are no words that can console you at this most difficult time. I will pray that you gain strength & courage in the coming days and that you will smile and laugh at the beautiful memories that Diane has left in your hearts. With deep sympathy, Ginny Colarusso
Dear Ginny,
It is so nice to hear from you and to read your comforting message about our daughter, Diane. She was truly a very special person who gave her love freely to friends and family as well as to the world.
Thank you.
Marie and George
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of your daughter, Diane. I can’t imagine how hard this for both of you.
You are in my thoughts and prayers in this difficult time.
Dear Audrey,
We thank you for thinking of us. It is the hardest thing that anyone has to face and it is something that you never imagine. As you read the tribute to Diane you can see that she was very special and lived her life to the fullest each and every day. She made our life a joy and was a gift to the world.
Always,
Marie and George
My deepest condolences on your loss. Diane was an amazing and beautiful lady. I met her when she owned Digrafika and prepared advertising and marketing material for my business. Diane was a true professional, who eventually became a friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you.
Thank you Vula for sharing your story about your friendship with Diane. She was a true professional no matter what work she was doing and eventually developed friendships with just about everyone that she met .
Dear Marie & George, I just learned about you beloved daughters passing, I am so sorry our hearts go out to you both.
Terry & Bert Gerrish
Dear Terry and Bert,
We thank you so much for writing and remember your friendship with Diane growing up in our neighborhood. Diane loved to go up the road to visit our neighbors and their animals. Of course you and she had horses in common. We celebrated Diane’s incredible life yesterday at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH. It was standing room only with the room filled with friends, family, and co-workers who love Diane as much as we do. Diane was our heart and soul and she will be missed forever. What a bright light she was whenever she was around any of us.
Love,
Marie and George
I don’t go on the Saugus HS website often but just read this about the passing of your lovely daughter.
We are so very sorry for your loss. It is unthinkable that we survive our children. She sounded like an amazing young woman.
Praying you find peace in the memories you have.
Dear Patty and Richie,
We thank you so much for writing to us and sending your sympathy in our loss. It is truly unimaginable and something that no parent should ever have to go through. Our daughter, Diane was very special and loved her family, friends, and life. She brought her kindness and joy to all who knew her and made the world a better place to live.
Always
George and Marie
Chris, George and Marie,
I met Diane when singing with the Granite State Choral Society and serving on the Board of Directors with her. She was an amazing person and loved by everyone.
Chris, losing a spouse is hard, which I have experienced. My condolences and prayers are with you.
George and Marie, I cannot imagine losing a child. Please accept my condolences and prayers.
Dear Laura,
We thank you for your kind words about Diane. We know that she valued your friendship as she did all of the wonderful people that she called her friends. She spoke about you often over the many years in the choral society. Losing Diane is unimaginable and George and I miss her more everyday. She was so loved and brought such joy to our lives. She was loved by everyone who was lucky enough to know her.
Always,
Marie and George
I am so shocked and saddened to hear of Diane’s passing. I knew her from our years at STA, and we often chatted during English class sophomore year. She was always so lovely and nice. Sending love and light all your way.
Dear Haley,
Thank you for writing and sending us your condolences. Diane transferred to St. Thomas her Sophomore year and worked hard to make a group of new friends. Because she was so friendly and kind it did not take her long to meet people like yourself and her St. Thomas friends were with her during her illness and are helping Chris and us now in our sorrow.
Always,
Marie and George Chobanian
We love you and will miss you forever. You are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are grey.
June 4 2023
Diane
YOU ARE MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE,
BUT JUST ONE THING TO ME: YOU.
JS Parker
“As long as I can I will look at this world for both of us. As long as I can I will laugh with the birds, I will sing with the flowers, I will pray to the stars, for both of us.”
Sascha
July 31, 2023
To our Diane,
“In my life, you are the sun that never fades and the moon that never wanes.” – Unknown
Dear Chris,
I just learned of Diane’s passing and I want to express my deep sympathy. I met Diane only once, almost a year ago, when she was interested in joining the Milton Conservation Commission (MCC) and we were thrilled at the prospect of having her help. Her enthusiasm was obvious and we were disappointed when it didn’t work out – she told us she had some health issues she needed to work out first. Now it seems heartbreaking to realize how quickly her health deteriorated while she was still hoping to be able to serve on the MCC.
I saw your recent ‘like’ on the MCC Facebook page and suddenly recognized your last name so checked out your FB posts, then saw your recent post about hiking and fundraising for the Mt Washington observatory. I love that you did that again this year in honor of Diane. I have that in common with her although didn’t know it until I saw your post — I hiked up Boott Spur myself recently; next time I am in the Presidentials, I will think of her.
I am sure I can say this on behalf of all the MCC members: we are so sad to not have had the chance to work alongside Diane.. I know she would have been fabulous on the MCC and I wish we could have gotten to know her.
sincerely,
Virginia Long
August 2, 2023
Dear Virginia,
I am Diane’s Mother and just read your post and beautiful words to our son-in-law Chris. We thank you so much for expressing your thoughts about our Diane. As you read her beautiful tribute you can see how she loved life and had a passion for the environment, music, volunteerism wherever it was needed and so much more. After Diane moved to Milton she told me that she had met with you and was so excited about the possibility of serving with you and the members of MCC. Diane and Chris had recently moved to Milton and love their new home and the chance to be living in the country once again.
My husband and I are at a loss without our enthusiastic and loving daughter but we are thankful that Chris and their friends are keeping Diane’s memory and legacy alive by hiking in the White Mountains or any other beautiful place in NH and Maine.
We only wish that you and your board could have gotten to know Diane and to work with her. When I tell you how amazing she was it was so evident that many others felt the same way as they spoke at her Celebration of Life that was held at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye.
Diane was beautiful both inside and out and so kind.
Her love will live on in each of us who had the pleasure of knowing and loving her.
Sincerely,
Marie and George Chobanian (Diane’s Mom and Dad)
Dear Chris, Marie & George,
I was just contacted by Virginia Long of the Milton Conservation Commission with the sad news of Diane’s passing. I met Diane many years ago while networking with other small businesses and she has assisted my husband and I with some of our graphic design needs.
Her and I also had so many similar interests in our love of nature – all creatures, the environment and hiking the 48’s in the White Mountains. I was excited when a I heard that she had an interest in joining our Conservation Commission in Milton. When I retired from the MCC, I was hoping she would volunteer to take my spot, but was saddened when she had to decline due to health issues. I didn’t realize it was so serious. I send my deepest condolences for the loss of such a special person.
Dear Deborah ,
We thank you very much for you thoughts that you shared with us about Diane. Diane loved life and had so many interests and passions and was constantly busy and looking for more to do.
She lived her life to the fullest in her short 46 years but filled us all with love and joy and sunshine.
We will miss her forever.
Always,
Marie and George
September13, 2023
To our Diane,
Your legacy of love and kindness is still influencing our lives every day. We will love you forever and cherish the precious memories.
November 22, 2023
We are thinking of you as friends and family prepare for Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. It is so difficult as it will be our first Thanksgiving Day without you. Your loss is immeasurable and there are no words to explain all that you have meant to us and to the world.
D and M
December 2023
Diane it was our first Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without you. You were missed beyond words but know that our love and hearts will be with you always until the end of time.
D and M
February 1st 2024
Thinking of you Diane on y our 47th birthday. You are loved and thought about every day.
We miss you so much and honor the incredible life that you lived. Thank you for your love.
M and D
Diane, February 11, 2024
One year has passed and we miss you every moment of every day. You are always in our heart. We will honor your memory today in a special tribute to you. We know that you will be near.
Love,
D and M
March 31st 2024
Happy Easter Diane. We miss you more than you could ever know. You are in our hearts everyday and we will never forget you.
Love,
D and M
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Chris, Marie and George, my heart is too heavy for words to express, and I know that no words could possibly be sufficient. Diane was a dear friend and will be deeply missed. I pray that you take some comfort in knowing how truly special she was to so many. I hope there might be an opportunity to remember Diane with you and to celebrate her life, but if not, please know you are all close at heart and in prayer.