Diane Marie Dolezal

Diane Dolezal passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at the age of 76 following a long battle with heart failure. A fiery redhead to the end, she fought her illness with the same fierce aplomb as she approached everything in her life.

Diane grew up in the upstate New York town of Auburn as one of six siblings in the Stott family. Diane was the first person in her family to earn a college degree and was a lifelong believer in the importance of education. She earned degrees from Fordham University and the University of Sarasota, including MBAs in marketing and accounting and a doctorate in educational leadership. Diane began her career in retail, taking management roles at Bamberger’s and Macy’s, but later transitioned to the field of education so that she could spend more time with her children. She served as a professor at Dominican College and St. Thomas Aquinas College, where she chaired the business department.

Diane married her husband of 53 years, Herman Dolezal, in 1970. Diane was outgoing and adventurous; Herman was cerebral and introverted. They were proof of the old adage that opposites attract. Herman died eight days before Diane while tending to her in the hospital. All who knew them understood they could never be apart.

Diane loved giving elaborate cards and presents on holidays, but her greatest gift to her family, friends and students was her relentless optimism. Despite innumerable challenges in her life, she truly believed and could convince anyone, that there was no obstacle or setback that could not be overcome. The greatest beneficiaries of her way of thinking were her sons, whose successes would never have been achieved without the constant encouragement and love of their mother.

Diane will be interred next to her husband Herman on Saturday, June 1, at 11:00am in Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, New Jersey. She is survived by her sons, David and Daniel; brother, Fred Stott Jr.; and sister, Melinda Wright. To share a memory of Diane or send a condolence to her family, please visit Becker-FuneralHome.Com