Diane Marie (Carroll) Conway, formerly of Gun Lake, died Oct. 8 in Elmhurst, Ill. She was 77.
Born April 13, 1943, to John and Mildred (Kotrba) Carroll and stepdaughter of Raymond Ledford, she grew up in Berwyn and was a graduate of Morton West High School. After graduation she attended St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana. When her father died, she transferred to Loyola University in Chicago, where she met her future husband, Jim. When he graduated and joined the Navy, they got married and she left school early
Though she traveled frequently throughout the south and New England as a naval wife, she returned to Loyola to graduate with a degree in education. She enjoyed her teaching career at St. Joseph’s in Addison and Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago.
During this time, she was also beset by a wide variety of health problems that she would continue to be burdened with throughout her life, though she outlasted them all. She was an avid reader with a great love of history and later in life she traveled to places like Quebec, Prague, Vienna, Ireland, Russia and others.
However, her favorite moments were spent at her mother’s cottage on Gun Lake, which is where her mother was born in the family farmhouse and where she was surrounded by an extensive number of aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her father John Carroll, her older brother Paul Carroll, her mother Mildred (Kotrba) Ledford and her stepfather Raymond Ledford.
She is survived by her husband Jim Conway; her brothers Jack (Kathy), Dean (Karen) and Wayne (Susan) Carroll and her stepsisters Carol, Marcy and Debbie. She also leaves behind two sons: Jim (Wendy) Conway and John (Corinne Queenan) Conway and a daughter Elizabeth (Patrick) McManus, as well as grandchildren Willem (Eneida) Conway, Colin, Brendan, Megan, MaryClair McManus and Archie Conway; great grandchildren Ireland, Declan, and Locklan Conway and countless nieces and nephews.
She will be laid to rest with her ancestors in the family graveyard at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Michigan and will be dearly missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sister Thomas Leo Fund at Visitation Church.
David, correct your headline.
What did I do now? Oh, now I see. I shoulda knowed better. Apologies.