Diane Kathleen O'Hara

On May 13, 2024, Diane Kathleen O’Hara, of Canterbury, New Hampshire, left this world and the many people who love her. She is predeceased by her best friend and husband, Brian John Collins, who passed on September 5, 2022. Her world revolved around family. She leaves behind Brendan Collins, his wife, Bijaya Sharma, and their 3-year-old son Rowan, of Melrose, MA. For Diane, Rowan was the light of her life. She also leaves behind her second son Emmett Collins, of Concord, NH. Emmett was her constant companion. She was a friend to so many and will be deeply missed.

Diane is also survived by her mother Margaret (Creedon) O’Hara, of Plymouth, MA, her siblings: Ron O’Hara and his wife Terri, of Plymouth, MA, Jackie O’Hara and her husband Phil Kimber, of Brewser, MA, Tim O’Hara and his wife Gail, of Bourne, MA and Tom O’Hara and his wife Mollie, of Needham, MA. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law John Collins, of Harwich, MA and James Collins, Jr of Cape Coral, FL. She is predeceased by her father Leonard O’Hara, her sister Colleen Collins, and brother-in-law Richard Collins.

Diane lived her life fully, while battling a rare muscle disease, Sporadic Late-Onset Nemaline Myopathy. She was determined to not give in to the disease, despite the challenges it presented the last few years.

Diane was born in Milford, MA on October 17, 1955 and moved to Plymouth, MA when she was 13. She was the second of six children born to Margaret and Leonard O’Hara. At Plymouth High School (’73), she played the french horn with the goal of marching in the band at the Orange Bowl. Not only did she go to the Orange Bowl, but also developed a lifelong love of music through this experience. She and Brian shared this love of music. They went to many concerts, created family traditions involving particular songs, and passed on this love to their sons.

Diane graduated from Boston College in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. She and Brian met in the Eagle’s Nest at BC. They lived together in Brighton, MA after college and were married November 23, 1980 in Plymouth, MA. Diane also received her master’s degree in education from Harvard in 1982. They moved to New Hampshire that same year when Brian got a job to work for the State Division of Mental Health and Developmental Services. They settled in Canterbury in 1987 where they raised Brendan and Emmett.

Diane understood people and policies and was a problem solver. This made her excellent in her career where she exceled as a Human Resources Director across several companies for 25 years, until she established her own consulting business in 2007 which she ran until last year.

Soon after Emmett was born, he was diagnosed with Jacobsen’s Syndrome, a rare chromosomal anomaly. Brian’s brother Richard was born with microcephaly and had an intellectual disability. Diane and Brian’s lifelong passion was the fight for the dignity and equal rights for people with disabilities. She was a constant presence in Emmett’s education and pushed for his integration in school classrooms. She ran for and won a seat on the school board where she served for several years.

Everything Diane did kept Emmett in the forefront to become independent and live every aspect of life. In her quest to enhance the life of people with all abilities, she served on the board of Waterville Valley Adaptive Sports, where Emmett learned to ski and has himself taught other kids to ski for the past decade. She loved to ski with her family there and it was one of her favorite places on earth.

While not a runner herself, running set the family’s schedule. She always supported their endeavors- from Brian’s passion to running 42 Boston Marathons, Brendan’s success on the track in High School and at Boston College, and Emmett’s passion for running marathons and road races with his father and community. She travelled around the state, country, and the world with them, as their number one fan.

As a child, Brian spent summers on Newfound Lake. Many of his friends relocated from the Boston area to there over the course of their lives, including Brian’s parents, Winnie, and Jim Collins. Diane and Brian purchased a seasonal house in 1997 on the lake in Bridgewater, NH. Diane and her family spent summers and weekends at the lake. Diane enjoyed kayaking and being on the boat. She also loved remodeling and designing the lake house.

Diane was a master designer and interior decorator with exquisite taste. She valued the history of hand-crafted items and antiques: a serving platter, a diamond, or pottery made by a friend. Each item told a unique story of her childhood and her family and their connections to each other through generations. They were memories of the people she loved, people she lost over the years, and they represent their legacies.

Diane’s legacy and stories will live on through her family and friends, the impact she had in the community and the artifacts and antiques she loved and held dear.

To honor Diane’s life, a Celebration of Life will be held on June 9th, 1-3pm at Bennett Family Funeral Home, 209 N Main St, Concord, NH. Please consider a donation to Waterville Valley Adaptive Sports (http://www.watervilleadaptive.com/donate.html), Community Bridges, where Emmett serves on the board (https://www.communitybridgesnh.org/donate), or Community Partners, where Brian was the Executive Director for many years (https://communitypartnersnh.org/donate/).