Dianne Monahan

Dianne Monahan, 79, of Manchester, a wonderful woman who loved everyone and displayed a positive outlook on life with the most pleasant smile, died at Birch Hill Terrace, on August 16, 2018, surrounded by family.

Born on July 1, 1939 in Lynn, MA, she was the daughter of John and Norma (Hutchinson) Gifford. Her father took an early retirement as a school administrator and moved his family to Jack Rabbit Lane in Stratham, NH to raise Dianne and her siblings on a farm. She did very well in academically and athletically at Robinson Female Seminary and Exeter High School, graduating in 1957. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1962 with her Bachelor's of Biology degree, where she was a member of the Phi Mu sorority.

She met her husband, Dan, at UNH and was married on August 18, 1962 at the Stratham Community Church with a reception at their family farm. After teaching a year at the Portsmouth Junior High School, they moved to Laconia, NH, where Dan was the Belknap County Forester. Dianne and Dan raised their family in Concord, MA where Dan was the Superintendent of the Town of Concord Department of Natural Resources. Dianne was a wonderful mother who dedicated her life to her family, before they struck off to college. With the family grown, and Dan reaching retirement, they moved to an old hill top farm in New Durham, NH. They fell in love with their new life spending most of it working on their gardens that included Dianne's spectacular perennial gardens. Dianne really enjoyed mowing their large yard using a John Deere tractor that Dan gave her for her birthday. They worked together on a very large extremely productive vegetable garden, providing much needed food for themselves as well as supporting the local New Durham food pantry, while Dan worked mowing the fields and working in the woods. They both worked together preparing wood for their stove and removing snow, which Dianne really enjoyed doing. Dianne loved to walk with Dan and enjoyed watching as well as feeding the birds. They shared their love for music and both sang with the Clearlakes Chorale in Wolfeboro for many years. Dianne also loved to quilt and knit and made many blankets, teddy bears, hats, and sweaters for her family and "premie" hats for Stitches from the Heart and other charitable organizations that aided young children. They were also very actively involved with the Wolfeboro Parkinson's Disease support group.

Unfortunately with Dianne's declining health, they had to sell their farm and moved to Birch Hill CCRC to be close to doctors and nearer to family. Dianne's time at Birch Hill was cut short, but she enjoyed their time together with many wonderful people.

Family include her beloved husband Daniel H. Monahan of Manchester; daughter Suzanne Mangano and her husband Fred of Lancaster, SC; son Daniel G. Monahan and his wife, Heather, of Cambridge, MA; grandchildren Nicholas Mangano, Catherine Mangano, Silas Monahan and Louisa Monahan. Dianne loved her family dearly, cherishing the opportunities spent together.

A private burial will be held at Maple Lane Cemetery in Stratham.