SACO — Diana Ouellette Paquette, 77, of Saco, passed away on July 16, 2014 at Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford, after a brief but valiant battle with cancer.

Diana was born in New Canada on June 30, 1937, the daughter of Arthur and Annette Ouellette.

She was a lifelong Saco resident after her family moved from Fort Kent in 1942.

She attended local schools and graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in Biddeford.

When her husband, John, first laid eyes on Diana, he stated, “I’m going to marry her.” And they were married in Saco on Sept. 1, 1956.

She was a stay-at-home mom, raising three children during the early years of her marriage. She was later employed by Saco & Biddeford Savings, where she retired as a customer service manager after 23 years of employment.

Diana will be remembered by family and friends as a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin and dear friend. She was an avid reader, enjoyed puzzles of all kinds, playing the game Rummikub and relaxing on her porch. She also enjoyed walking three to four miles nearly every day. She truly enjoyed spending time with her three sisters (the four of them affectionately known as the “Golden Girls”) going to movies, sharing meals, playing cards, trips to Florida and weekend getaways.

She was an active parishioner of Most Holy Trinity Church.

Diana touched the lives of many people and will be greatly missed.

Diana was preceded in death by: her parents, Arthur and Annette Ouellette; and step-grandson, Christopher Petritsch.

Left to cherish her memory are: her husband, John Paquette of Saco; daughter, Kathy Day and partner Michael Audie of Standish; sons, Tim Paquette and wife Sandra of Dayton and Scott Paquette of Saco; grandchildren, Jessica Day-Brinkley of Greenville, North Carolina and Jonathan Day of Portland; step-granddaughter, Manya Salazar of Dayton; great-grandson, Grayson Brinkley; sisters, Anita Labonte and husband Paul of Biddeford, Betty Morse and husband Frank of Saco and Dottie Twombly and husband Jim of Hollis; brothers, Ray Ouellette and wife Molly of Saco and Paul Ouellette and wife Sheila of Arundel; aunt, Theresa Cyr and uncle, Raoul Ouellette, both of Connecticut; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2014 at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco. Arrangements are by Cote Funeral Home, Saco. To sign the guestbook or leave condolences, go to www.cotefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donate to your favorite charity in Diana’s name.

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