Dianne Dewson Obituary, DSA Mourns The Passing of Dianne Dewson

Dianne Dewson Obituary, Death Cause – On Sunday, April 30, 2023, Dianne Lordi passed away in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by members of her family. Her children, their spouses or fiancées, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren are the only members of her family to survive her death. Dianne, the daughter of Sicilian immigrants, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents emigrated there from Sicily. She was particularly close with her three siblings—her two sisters and her brother in particular. She received her diploma from Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1946, when she was only 16 years old.

She received her degree from Penn State University, where she studied Liberal Arts with a concentration in Spanish. Her stage acting credits include Romeo and Juliet, Glass Menagerie, and Dark of the Moon, among others. She was also active in the theater community. At Penn State, she became acquainted with the man who would become her husband, Anthony. The couple wed in 1951. They established their home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Dianne was an active member of the neighborhood theatrical company known as the Penn Hills Players. After moving to St. Louis, where they ultimately made their home in Chesterfield, they started a family and welcomed Barbara, Susan, David, and Karen into the world. The marriage between Dianne and Tony lasted for a total of 68 years.

Twenty of Dianne’s years as a teacher were spent at Parkway Central High School. She was a devoted educator who shared her enthusiasm for learning new languages, experiencing other cultures, and going on adventures with both her pupils and her own family. The lifelong commitment that Dianne had to furthering her education was never in question. Her extensive trips to a variety of nations around the world were a reflection of this fact. Her lessons covered a wider range of topics than just vocabulary, and she inspired her pupils to “go for it” despite the fact that their grammar was not perfect. After she retired, Dianne worked as a volunteer reader of books on tape and as an instructor of English as a Second Language.

Dianne was one of the original members of Incarnate Word Parish and was very active in the community that she called home because of her faith. Her dramatic ability was on display every Sunday as she took her place at the lectern. With her expressive voice, she lent readings from the Bible greater weight and significance. Dianne was a talented chef who became famous for creating meals that paid homage to Sicilian culinary heritage. Her gnocchi, spiedini, manicotti, biscotti, pizzelles, and bird’s nest cookies were all cooked by hand, and they were quite popular among her friends and family. Hearing lively stories of her heritage and her life as a child in South Philadelphia while seeing her create in the kitchen was a highlight of the experience.