Diane Monroe

Olmstedville: Diane Monroe, age 75, died suddenly at home on January 20, 2024. Diane was born December 27, 1948, in NYC to Josephine Rella and the late William Rella. She grew up in Elmhurst Queens, until her family moved to Latham, NY. when she was 15. Her favorite childhood memory was being front and center at the airport gate where the Beatles arrived on their first trip to America. She graduated from Shaker High School in 1966 and SUNY Oneonta in 1970. Diane taught 4th grade for one year and quickly became frustrated by the limitations of the school system. A formative cross-country trip followed, and she spent 2 years in San Fransisco, Ca. where she bought her first sewing machine, which led to a lifelong love of quilting.

After returning to Latham, she made trips to the Adirondacks with her girlfriends, where she met her future husband, John Monroe. They married and raised two children in Olmstedville. Diane helped with running her husband’s logging business and was an active volunteer in the community, especially with Girl Scouts. Once her children were grown, she had a house cleaning business with a friend, until a stroke in 2019 pushed her into retirement.

Diane enjoyed spending time in her flower and organic vegetable gardens, practicing yoga, cooking, baking, and making beautiful quilts that she gifted to friends and family. She was able to realize her dreams of travel in her later years, with trips to Bali, Greece, and Italy. Diane was fiercely independent to the end, meticulously maintaining her home and property almost entirely by herself.

Diane is predeceased by her father, William Rella, and former husband John Monroe. She is survived by her mother, Josephine Rella, brothers William (Peggy) Rella, Robert (Jean) Rella and Thomas Rella, daughter Jennifer Monroe, son Sean Monroe, and grandson Ezra Heath.

A celebration of life will be held at the Edward L. Kelly Funeral Home, 1019 US Rt. 9 Schroon Lake, NY from 2-3 PM Saturday January 27, 2024.

To offer an online condolence please visit www.edwardlkellyfuneralhome.com