Diane Ruth Gnadt

Diane Ruth Gnadt, 71, was made perfect with her Lord Jesus in Heaven on January 2, 2020. She died as she lived, knowing she was in the hands of her God. Her tremendous faith never wavered during her brief but intense struggle with pancreatic cancer, giving her peace throughout the process and providing strength and inspiration to all who loved her.

Diane was born in Brown Deer, Wisconsin to Luther and Adeline “Phyllis” Ehlers on June 29, 1948. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in 1970 and married Philip Charles Gnadt in 1972. With the birth of their son in 1975 and daughter in 1978, Diane embraced the role of mother, raising her children with unconditional and boundless love, strong Lutheran values and a deep well of patience. The family moved to Hickory, North Carolina in 1987.

Neither material wealth nor modern conveniences ever tempted Diane away from her selfless devotion to her God, her husband and her children and grandchildren. Despite her contentment and full life in Hickory, her deep love of her husband brought her onto the back of a motorcycle for trips in Mexico, Canada, Wisconsin and numerous weekends in the Blue Ridge. With the birth of her first grandson, she made multiple trips to Alaska to embrace him, including to the northernmost village in the country. And when God blessed her with two more grandsons closer to home, she made countless trips to Charlotte and later across town in Hickory to care for and be with them.

Diane loved to read, study the Bible and share fellowship with her vast faith community and the many other friends she made living and working in the area. She enjoyed welcoming family and friends to her home and would apologize for home cooked meals that most others could only dream of making. Children, especially babies, brought her great joy, and she spent many hours volunteering to care for them.

Diane is survived by her husband, Phil; her son, Mark; her daughter, Erin; her grandsons Luke, Evan and Owen; and her brother, George. She is preceded in death by her parents.

Diane’s funeral service will take place at 4:00 p.m. Monday, January 6th at St. Stephens Lutheran Church, 2304 Springs Road NE with Pastor David W. Ziehr officiating, preceded by a receiving from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The family is grateful for prayers, condolences and memories and suggests that those wishing to send gifts or flowers instead make donation to Bible Study Fellowship International (bsfinternational.org) or St. Stephens Lutheran School (sslswarriors.org).