Obituary of Diane Joy Zehner
Diane Joy (nee Wyszynski) Zehner
Diane J. Zehner, age 78, passed away surrounded by her family at her home in Shorewood on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Diane was born in Chicago on October 15, 1945, to the late Walter and Eleanore Wyszynski, the youngest of three children including her sister Nancy and late brother Ronald. Diane was an early high school graduate, joining the work force at the age of 16 for Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in downtown Chicago. On May 28, 1966, Diane married Paul L. Zehner. She left the workforce for several years to pursue her most important job - mother to her 3 children. She worked various part time jobs including typist, waitressing at the VFW fish fry, lunch lady, then spent over 25 years working with Hollymatic as an import/export manager until her retirement.
There were many family vacations to Wisconsin Dells, Gatlinburg, Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains, Panama City Beach in Florida, and camping anywhere. She was always up for trying unique foods and seeing interesting roadside attractions. Diane also enjoyed cooking for her family, especially on Sundays. Diane and Paul had a close circle of neighborhood friends known as “The Gang” who got into all sorts of shenanigans over the years. Later in life, they enjoyed the YMCA Fab 50 club events together. They celebrated 52 years of marriage before his passing in 2019.
Diane is survived by her three children, Darrell (Kathleen) Zehner, Laura (Richard) Regelbrugge, and Lisa (Todd) Worthley; her grandchildren, Ethan Zehner, Brianna Worthley, Abby Zehner, Alexa Worthley, and Blake Regelbrugge; her sister, Nancy (the late Walter) Cummings; sister-in-law Patricia (Thomas) Tafel; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Diane Zehner will be Friday, October 11, 2024, from 3-8 p.m. at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black (at Essington) Rd., Joliet, IL. Funeral services will be the following morning, Saturday, October 12, 2024, beginning at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m., then proceeding to Holy Family Catholic Church, Shorewood, for Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at Risen Lord Cemetery in Oswego, where she will be laid to rest next to her late husband, Paul. Memorials in Diane’s name to American Cancer Society would be appreciated. For more information, please call 815-741-5500, or to leave an online condolence, visit her Memorial tribute page at www.fredcdames.com.
