Age 83
Sister Diane graduated from Cathedral High School, Trenton, New Jersey, in 1955 and entered the Sisters of Mercy upon graduation. She spent her early years teaching in St. Francis School, Metuchen; St. Mary Elementary School, South Amboy; and St. Elizabeth School, Bernardsville, New Jersey. She returned as principal of St. Francis School before her appointment in 1974 as personnel director for the Sisters of Mercy. In 1978, Sister Diane was elected councilor for the Sisters of Mercy of New Jersey, serving for eight years as an advocate for peace and justice. As founder and director of Mercy Peace Center in Watchung, New Jersey, she lectured, traveled and hosted events to bring the message of peace to others.
Recognized for her leadership skills and compassionate care for the sisters, in 1994 she was elected president of the New Jersey Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a position she held for 13 years. In 2008, Sister Diane began a new phase of ministry at Georgian Court University, where she served on the administrative staff in the Office for Institutional Advancement and later as a volunteer for donor relations until 2019.
Sister Diane earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from then-Georgian Court College, and a master’s degree in education as well as a master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. She served as a family therapist at Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Metuchen from 1988 to 1994. Sister Diane is survived by loving cousins and members of the Sisters of Mercy who will miss her deeply.