Diane Ruth Lavis died peacefully at the Good Shepherd Hospice House on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.
Diane was born to Ruth (Hiezer) and Clarence Polenz in Wauwatosa, WS on October 11, 1928. Diane married Leonard W. Lavis in 1952 in Wauwatosa, he preceded her in death in 1998.
Diane and Leonard, along with their six children, moved to Topeka, KS in 1969 when Leonard became Superintendent of Kansas Neurological Institute. After Leonard’s death, Diane moved to Manhattan, KS in 1998 to be closer to her daughter, Cathie.
Diane and Leonard had six children, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Children: Keith Lavis (decreased); Craig and his wife, Linda of Bella Vista, AR; Catherine C. Lavis, Manhattan; Debra M. Lavis, Topeka; Patricia R. Sanderson, Woodland Hills, UT; and Linda Louise Gorman and her husband, Carl of Manhattan, KS.
Diane was a loving wife and mother. Diane genuinely liked people and learning about them. Diane enjoyed feeding her squirrels and birds, although her loss of hearing and vison significantly influenced her last two years, she would say most positively, “God left me enough hearing to hear the birds.”
Diane was a member of Seven Dolors Parish, the highlight of her week was attending mass on Saturday at 6pm; Cathie and Diane always arrived by 5:20pm, to get favorite pew. She cherished her Seven Dolors friends.
The Rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday January 25, 2020 at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church, Juliette and Pierre Streets in Manhattan.
Mass of Christian Burial will be following the Rosary at 10:00 a.m. Saturday January 25, 2020 at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church, with Father Kerry Ninemire as the Celebrant. Interment will follow the service in the Admantha Cemetery in Pottawatomie County near Westmoreland, Kansas.
Memorial donations may be made in her honor to Manhattan Catholic Schools. Memorials may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.