Diane L. (Dakers) Keith 80, a longtime resident of Abington, died Tuesday June 1 at the St. Elizabeth Medical Center.
Diane was born in Quincy on March 18th, 1941, daughter of late William and Gladys (Brown) Dakers and sister of late Leslie E. O’Keefe.
She resided in Hanover from 1942 until 1963 where she married former husband Michael P. Keith and moved to Abington. She graduated from Hanover High School in 1959 with honors.
Diane retired in 2006 from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Dept./ Bureau of Criminal Investigation where she held the position of Executive Assistant to the B.C.I. Director. Prior to working at B.C.I, she was also employed as an Administrative Assistant for the Abington Board of Selectmen and the Executive Secretary from 1976-1989.
After retirement, Diane volunteered at the Abington Senior Center which she loved and took pride in. She was once the President of the Abington Senior Association, and served on the Friends of Abington Seniors for many years in various capacities. She also worked on many political campaigns.
Diane loved cooking, music, dancing, bowling, reading, and most of all family gatherings.
She leaves a son Michael P. Keith Jr. and his wife Kendra of Hanson; a daughter Donna M. Strobel of Abington; 7 grandchildren, Timothy Blake, Anthony Lamore, Matthew Keith, Megan Keith, Adam Keith, Casey Strobel, and Melody Strobel; a great-granddaughter Jocelyn Lamore; friends of the late Eleanor M. Pappone, the late Edith (Laidlow) Kilbury, and Marion “Peg” Frazier, Anna Fopianno, Francine Ethier and many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to attend her visiting hours on Tuesday June 8 from 4:00-7:00 PM in the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 @ the rotary) Whitman and her funeral on Wednesday June 9 at 8:15 AM from the Chapel, followed by a funeral Mass at 9:00 AM in Saint Bridget Church, Abington.
There will be a gathering at Emerald Hall, Abington following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name can be made to the Abington Fire Dept., Cerebral Palsy, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Friends of Abington Seniors, the Covenant House in New York, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association.