Diane was born January 10, 1958.  A baby boomer, she was raised in the tail of the 1950s and in the early 60's by Nettie and Carl, spending many days playing in the backyards along Olive Street in Ashland, Massachusetts.  Her oldest brother, Chuck, remembers a big, birch tree on Lafayette Road that he and his friends would often climb. Diane insisted she could get up there too. The boys laughed.  No way this scrawny, little girl was scaling this massive tree.  They were wrong. That was classic Diane, never shirking from a challenge, especially one which attempted to define what she could or couldn't do.

Diane was not an ordinary child, she was in fact, an extraordinary one.  She was born with a congenital heart defect. At twelve years old, she suffered a heart attack.  Saved by a neighbor, a nurse, Mrs. Anderson, Diane was whisked to Boston Children's Hospital where world renowned doctors performed open heart surgery and used groundbreaking, 1970s pacemaker technology to propel Diane into the bionic woman she would become.

Now a teenager of the 70s, with a new lease on life, Diane realized every day was a gift. In Ashland High School, she got bit by the musical theater bug! Mrs. Lopez ushered a love of theater that lasted lifelong - Lil Abner and many more to follow. She also found herself forging a special relationship with her baby sister, Lynn, eight years her junior. While Nettie was busy with Diane's energetic brothers, Stephen and Chuck, Diane often held down the fort, in part mentoring and raising her sister and creating a special and eternal kinship.

College bound, and following another open heart surgery, it was off to Mary Washington in 1976.  Diane focused on education and psychology in her undergrad, but also dug right into the fun part of college life. John Denver echoed from her dorm room, as she delighted her friends singing and playing the guitar. And of course, even in Fredericksburg, VA, she found the best restaurants and local enchantments. She returned to Massachusetts in '78 to complete her BA at Bridgewater State in Special Education.

Diane's career begins in the Windy City, an incredible and exciting segment of her young life.  New friends, new adventures and an independence streak that would endure. From Chicago to the Big Apple - Diane's love for NYC ran deep. While she lived there as her career developed, it became a part of her. (She remained a true Red Sox fan. Go Sox!) It was Diane who would know the best theaters, shows and restaurants. Diane would be known to hop on a bus in the morning to NYC and catch a show, grab a bite, catch another, and hit the bus home early the next day, on her own, like it was an ordinary weekend! And not just New York's theater, but the food. Diane was a foodie before foodie was a thing.

On a career path that was fresh and new, she found her calling working with children. Healthcare, education, consulting, writing, researching and learning -- Diane always strove to attend the latest workshops, earn the required certificates to continue to progress and vary her career.  She became specialized in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and a master of the research and behavioral methodologies. She earned her MSEd, Special Education Teaching at Wheelock College, is certified in Applied Behavior Analyses from Boston University and received her CAGS, Special Education Administration at American International College.

Family was Diane's heart and center.  She constantly encouraged, supported and spoiled her 4 nieces, Jessica, Samantha, Sara, and Stefanie and her nephew Christoph. Trips to the movies, trips to Broadway, the best food, the beach - and so much more. They all know what it means when Diane says she loves you TONS and BUNCHES.

Diane was a globetrotter - but some of her most special places were close to home and off the beaten path like Owls Head and Beavertail. Every August, she delighted in her trip to Old Orchard, Maine where her brother Stephen brought the Capones and Puccis together in the sun for great times and memories. She enjoyed visiting with Chuck and Roseanne in Jamestown, Rhode Island and of course trips to the Pucci second home, Marco Island, Florida.

But much further she would go, and a lot. Diane could have viewed the world as limiting because of her heart condition, but for her, she was going to see the world. Diane set on a path to visit all 7 continents. Her first adventure out of the country was to Denmark in high school and her last trip nearly 5 decades later was to the South Pole.   Antarctica, Argentina, Azores, Barbadoes, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Europe (all of it, even when the countries changed borders and names), Guatemala, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Peru, Tanzania, Turkey, and Vietnam. Every moment and every adventure was special, whether it was buying a coffee in Vienna or taking pictures of penguins toddling around their iceberg.

While for some, the travel may have been the all of it, for Diane it was only half. It was also the friendships she forged along the way, She always found a way to be special in each person's life - she has a superpower - an ability to make life lasting connections. Her friends came to be from all directions - some have been along since Ashland (especially her theater friends), SPS, the Child Life Council, Community Boating, NE Heart Sisters, Zipper Sisters, ACHA events, Sommerville and so much more.

The last decade, Diane grew closer still to her Mom and Dad. Family always was and remained her core, her love for her aunts and uncles, cousins, and their beautiful families and it made sense for her to want to take care of Nettie and Carl. Even though her own health maintenance was always a factor in all she did, she dedicated herself to spending meaningful time caring for her Dad, driving him to his appointments and taking note of every detail. And with her Mom, her very bestest of all friends, she spent every moment with her until the very end.

How do we honor an amazing woman like Diane Pucci? We enjoy life like every day is a gift. We climb up the tree. We sing John Denver. We head to NYC for the weekend, we find the end of the earth, and we love tons and bunches.

Diane Pucci was in peace and surrounded by loved ones when she passed on February 10, 2025 at 2:42 PM. She is survived by her brother Carl Pucci, his wife Roseanne Pawelec, and daughter Jessica Pucci along with her husband Ben Winter and two children Josephine and Alexander Winter. Her brother Stephen Pucci, his wife Susan and their two children, Samantha and Sara. Her sister Lynn (Pucci) Gewessler and husband Roland and their two children, Stefanie and Christoph.

Diane's Celebration of Life will be April 27th at 1PM at Capone's Restaurant & Lounge, 147 Summit St, Peabody, MA 01960.

Donations can be made to the Adult Congenital Heart Association in her memory.  https://www.achaheart.org/get-involved/donate/give-to-acha/