Diane C. Dubois

You realize that you have been blessed with the honor of living amongst a living saint when even the angels weep as they prepare a heavenly entrance. Diane Claire Dubois (nee Guerette), or as many of you have come to know her, Memere, (the world’s BEST Memere) graced this world on March 11, 1959, and from that moment she has stitched her way into the hearts of everyone she has crossed paths with. As a young girl she attended St. Theresa’s elementary school alongside her siblings Roger, Jeanne, Lucille and Doris. She often reminisced about memories of being able to walk home for lunch on school days where she would get the chance to see her mommy Madeleine, and her Uncle Donald. She formed friendships at St. Anthony’s that have lasted until today. She reconnected with her childhood friends on facebook and attended multiple Kindergarten class reunions with so many friends including Linda Renaud.

She went on to attend St. Anthony’s High School for one year, but since she wanted to go to Bishop Stang she got a job at McDonald’s and helped to pay her own way through high school. It was there that she met one of her many lifelong friends Karen, and has thoroughly enjoyed being able to frequent her daughter’s Besteas shop in downtown New Bedford. Diane’s two most favorite teas were the Salty Girl with Tiger Sugar, and 50 Shades of Grey. She certainly would indulge with a coconut macaroon as well if they were available. After her time spent working in the fast food industry she went on to E.F.O., or “Economy” where she immediately became friends with Linda and Betty. Together, they would go on to seal the ultimate bond of friendship where they became more like family, rather than friends.

After high school she spent a short span of time working at the Acushnet Rubber Division which is where she met her loving husband Raymond and her future Mother in Law Claire. They married on a beautiful summer day in June 1980, when the scent of lovely pink roses could be sensed all around. Roland and Claire gifted the newly married couple with a set of Farberware pans which have cooked many delicious roasts, beef stews, and everyone’s favorite French Meat Stuffing over Raymond and Diane’s 41 year marriage. They did not wait long to start a family, and she certainly couldn’t wait to show off her pregnancies. She was definitely known to indulge with a Chunky candy bar or two. Diane’s father Raymond, and step mother Maryann bought her a baby stroller for her baby shower and that gift served all three of their children, Erin, Kyle, and Keith, well on their many walks to feed the ducks at Brooklawn Park. Diane has been able to sprinkle her compassionate, empathetic, and generous nature just as the angel's tears will serve to foster the growth of the same beautiful flowers we would see as we walked together. If anyone had the chance to see the magic she worked with the mandevilla and orchids she so lovingly attended to, it’s not surprising that they would last the duration of their blooming seasons, and on occasion bloom a second time.

Together the family traveled to visit Raymond’s brother Ronald, Diane’s sister in law Andrea, and their nephew and nieces Lance, Heather, Lori, and Denise in Hawaii. They tried many different dishes, but Diane spoke fondly of the homemade donuts they sampled, and of course listening to the calming sound of songs sung by the likes of musicians such as Don Ho. The family also traveled to the magical land of Disney World to share time with Raymond’s brother Leonard, Diane’s sister in law Barbara, and their nieces Sherry, Mindy, and Michelle. Together they all experienced the wonder that is Disney including attending the well known Magical Light Parade! And what trip would it be without of course attending a character breakfast, Diane cried when she set her eyes on Donald Duck? Diane easily became fast friends with Raymond’s childhood friends including Tim and Margie Duffy, and Brian and Beth Avila, and Bobby Almeida.

As the years went by, Diane found herself the happiest when she was doing activities with her family and closest friends including going camping at Maple Park, swimming at Elephant Rock Beach, and even braving the “dinosaurs”/ iguanas to go on vacation to Aruba with her husband Raymond. She has lovingly doted on her son in law, and daughter in law Matthew and Alyssa and welcomed both of them and their extended families. She has doted on all her children, and grandchildren Aidan, Madeleine, Emma, and soon to be Wyatt. The “Memere Mobile” was in full force transporting her children, grandchildren, and their friends everywhere they ever needed or wanted to go at any given moment. Memere was often listening to whatever music the kids wanted to listen to, and you could easily catch her singing along to all of the Raffi songs being played on the CD player. She volunteered to read to multiple classes at Jireh Swift Elementary, and certainly went to reapply sunscreen and give cold water to the kids at Swift Field Day. She knitted and gifted basically every single one of her creations which included a number of winter hats, minion pencil cases, mermaid blankets, shawls, hats, mittens, slippers, baby blankets, and stuffed animals, and most recently a dinosaur hat that she painstakingly redid the spikes for at least 3 times.

She attended all school functions whether they were big or small, and was also a lunch mother at St. Mary’s Elementary, when her children were young. On occasion even Mr. Poyant mistakenly took her for a student when he went to reprimand a bunch of chatty elementary students, and he told them all to sit down, only to turn around and see Diane still standing, and say again “I said sit down” to which she quietly exclaimed “ ok, but I’m a lunch mother.” Diane was always beaming with pride, and often came prepared with tissues when she attended all baptisms, confirmations, dance recitals, baseball games, graduations, showers, weddings and more. She attended these functions not only for her immediate family but also for her sister in law, and brother in laws, Eileen, Raymond, Glenn, Jerry, John. Her pride and joy were ever so evident whenever she was with her children and grandchildren but also for her nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews Christopher, Raymond, Jennifer, Tracie, Julie, Maranda, Christen, Myles, Violet, Harrison, Lilah, and Nolan, Ashlyn, Seth, Alyssa, Nicholas and the children of her closest friends John, Brian, Kate, Kasey, Scarlett, Salvatore, Sophie, Luke, Tommy, and Gregory and so many more. Diane’s love certainly didn’t just extend to human beings, and the Frey family gave her one of her most prized possessions, the Marvelous, Mystical, and Magical Merlin.

When Diane fell ill, her beloved son Kyle made sure that she had some of the best medical care available at St. Lukes, by somehow coordinating for Krystyna Pavao, his grade school friend, to be working in the ER, and for Michelle Tavares to be working in the Progressive Care Unit, and so many other nurses and doctors throughout the hospital. Diane was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday March 16, which would have been Kyle’s 37th Birthday, and just as Kyle held on for us to say goodbye, so did Diane. She passed away peacefully on March 18th at 10:11am surrounded by her immediate family. To say that she will be missed is one of the biggest understatements, but what words can be used to express such a great loss? Diane lost her battle to ITP, and the medical probability for such is incredibly rare, which is tragically ironic, because her spirit was equally as rare. If we can each carry just a tiny sampling of the wondrous and exemplary women she was, we can go on to make this world a better place, one which only her exuberant smile could truly showcase.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours at the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford Thursday March 25, 2021 from 4-7PM. Her funeral services will be held at St. Anthony’s Church in New Bedford on Friday March 26 at 10:00am. There will be a private burial service for her immediate family at Sacred Heart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. For an online condolence book, please visit our website at www.rock-funeralhome.com