Diana E. Padula, retired nurse
Diana E. Padula of Lewes peacefully passed away Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, after a brief encounter with brain cancer.
Diana was born Oct. 16, 1939, in Paterson, N.J. In January 1958, she married the love of her life, Anthony Padula, and moved to Stonetown Road in Ringwood, N.J., where they raised their three children.
In 1969, Diana began her journey to become a nurse and enrolled at Passaic County Tech, where she earned her LPN degree and graduated at the top of her class.
Diana and Tony moved to Canterbury, N.H., in 1977. Diana loved the town of Canterbury, from its quaint country store and post office to Shaker Village. She met the last members of the Shaker family, and always enjoyed sharing with family and friends the stories of living in a small community and just how special Canterbury is.
When Tony retired, they chose the town of Harbeson, where they built their home with stones, bricks, and other unique artifacts that they found during their travels over the years. When Tony passed away in 2013, Diana sold their home and settled at Vineyards in Lewes. She loved her home and her neighbors. It was the perfect place for her to live out the rest of her life.
Diana spent a little more than 30 years as a nurse at Lakes Region Hospital in Laconia, N.H., where she worked in the hospital's emergency department and endoscopy suite. Later, she worked at Laconia Clinic as an office nurse. In Delaware, Diana was an industrial nurse at Perdue in Georgetown and worked tirelessly advocating for women’s health. Diana was featured in an article on industrial nursing and was chosen for the cover issue of LPN Magazine. However, it would be the six years she served on the Delaware Board of Nursing that would be the highlight and greatest accomplishment of her nursing career. She proudly served through the tenure of two governors and took great pride in this special achievement.
In her retirement, Diana enjoyed her various book clubs, mahjong club, daily swimming aerobic classes and her many wonderful friends. She loved listening to the bands play throughout the summer concert series, live theatre, museum, and craft shows. Her days were full of friends and good times.
Diana was passionate about travel and along with trips to Greece, the UK, Paris, Germany, Australia, etc., it was the three-week journey to Italy with her three children that would resonate and hold a very special place in her heart. Her Italian roots and family were important, and together they explored many regions of Italy. The highlight of their trip was the time spent with her cousins in Biella and Milan, Italy.
Diana will forever be remembered as Mimi to her wonderful grandchildren, Brett Martin of Hillsboro, N.H., Elizabeth Coparanis of High Point, N.C., and Cole Padula of Concord, N.H. She loved spending time with her great-grandchildren and enjoyed their yearly summer visits to the Delaware Shore.
Diana is survived by her three children, Lisa (Bruce) Dickerson of Millsboro, Linda (Barry) Demeo of Waterville, N.H., and Mark Padula of Belmont, N.H. It is their wish that in lieu of flowers or other offerings, pay a kindness forward. Her favorite charity was St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Services are private.
Arrangements in the care of Short Funeral Services in Georgetown.
Online condolences are welcome at shortfuneralservicesandcremation.com.
