Diana Lillian (McKenna) Dusa

Diana McKenna Dusa, age 85, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, went to Heaven to be with her husband and son on the early evening of January 9th embraced by her entire family. Diana was born in 1936 in Youngstown, OH and attended Ursuline High School. She grew up surrounded by family which influenced her to be a loving and caring person ready to serve others and she incorporated that into being a wife and mother. She met her husband John Dusa, Jr. from Deerfield, MI on a blind date while working as a telephone operator. They were united in marriage on August 16, 1958 at Gesu Catholic Church in Toledo, OH. They were married for 58 years, raising their family in Deerfield, MI.

As a mother, she was generous, loving and kind while caring for her husband following a hunting accident which left him paralyzed. Diana returned to nursing school getting her LPN Nursing degree and worked as a periodontal surgery assistant. Diana truly loved all Catholic holidays and could be found singing in the choir and often weddings and other special occasions at St. Alphonsus Church and Light of Christ Catholic Church (St. Alphonsus) in Deerfield, MI.

Diana’s favorite saying was “go with the flow” as she enjoyed life with her family and her dear friends. She loved assisting and traveling with the Ann Arbor Veterans of America Wheelchair Olympic Team while her husband John competed nationally with fellow veterans for 22 years.

We know the gates to Heaven were wide open for Diana to join her husband John Dusa, Jr. and her son John Dusa, III. She will be greatly missed by her daughters Joni Downing (Todd) and Jeannie Hughes. She was loved and cherished by her granddaughter’s Natalie (DuJuan), Valarie, Julia and Jessica and grandson’s John IV (Jessica), John (Daniella) and Harrison. Her three great-grandchildren Grace, Kingston and Rocky were the light of her life.

Memorial Contributions may be made online or mailed to Light of Christ Catholic Church www.lightofchristparish.com

There will be a Mass of Resurrection for the soul of Diana celebrating her life at Light of Christ Catholic Church in Deerfield, MI later this year on a date to be determined. The family would like to invite all to wear purple in honor of Diana.

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