Published May 8, 2020
MELROSE — Joanne (D’Amico) Diana, 90, a longtime resident of Melrose, passed away at the Hannah Duston Healthcare Center in Haverhill early Sunday morning, May 3, 2020. Joanne was predeceased by Guy, her loving husband of 54 years and her parents, James and Mary (Zandi) D’Amico, her brothers, Vincent and Salvatore D’Amico, and her sister, Marguerite DiBlasi.
Joanne is survived by her children, Janice Burke and her husband Jay, of West Yarmouth, Charles and his wife Elizabeth, of Sandwich, and Bill and his wife Colleen, of Charlestown, and nine loving grandchildren, Kevin and his wife Emily, Brian, Anthony, Allison, Angela, Andrew, Christopher, Caroline and Kathleen. She is also survived by her brother, James D’Amico, of Virginia, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Joanne was born and raised in Boston’s West End and graduated from Girl’s High School in Boston. Joanne met her husband, Guy Diana, the love of her life, at a dance. They married eight months later, in October, 1952. Guy and Joanne settled in Melrose and raised their three children. Joanne ran the household while managing to work a number of office management jobs on the side where she would use her strong math skills.
Guy and Joanne were inseparable and very active in Melrose. They belonged to a number of veteran clubs, including the DAV Post 120, and the American Legion, Post 90. It was through these organizations that they developed a strong network of friendships. Joanne was a member of the Most Blessed Sacrament Women’s Guild, where she was a parishioner for many years. She and Guy enjoyed weekly masses, church coffees and dinners with friends. She was a member of the Melrose Women’s Bowling league for many years and enjoyed playing bingo and other activities at the Senior Center.
Joanne loved to be outdoors and was frequently seen walking around town, enjoying the beauty of Ell Pond and stopping to chat with her many friends and neighbors along the way. She loved to read, often walking to the library, where she would check out many books to bring home. A city girl at heart, Joanne would make frequent shopping trips to Boston by bus or train.
During their years of retirement, Guy and Joanne enjoyed their second home on Cape Cod, where they spent many days at the beach. Joanne loved the ocean, and could spend hours in the water, swimming and chatting with people. After the loss of her husband, she continued to lead an active and independent life.
Joanne’s greatest love, by far, was time spent with her husband, children, and grandchildren to whom she was very dedicated. She enjoyed hosting holiday dinners for her family. Born to Sicilian parents, she treated her family to Italian meals and nobody ever left her home hungry. Sunday visits with family were a regular event and she had a special bond with her sister, Marguerite. They spoke on the phone every afternoon at 2 o’clock to “catch up.” She was known for her kindness, and will be missed by all.
Joanne’s family would like to extend their sincerest gratitude to the kind and compassionate health care professionals at Hannah Duston Healthcare Center in Haverhill. Hannah Duston provided loving care and safety for our mom in the last four years of her life, for which we will be forever grateful.
In lieu of flowers, and given these uncertain times, if you would like, the family requests that a donation be made to a local food pantry. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, a private graveside funeral service was held at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. A celebration of life will be determined at a later date, so we can celebrate Joanne’s life and love with all our family and friends. To leave a message of condolence please visit gatelyfh.com.
