Diane O'Neil

Diane Veren was born on August 24, 1941, in Sturgis, South Dakota, to Roland and Johnann (King) Veren. She lived on a farm just east of Sturgis until 1958, when her father sold the farm and moved to Sturgis for her senior year in high school. Diane graduated in 1959, from Sturgis High School and went to college at South Dakota State University. She married Patrick O’Neil in 1962. Graduating from SDSU in 1963, with a degree in Chemistry, they moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where her husband went to law school, and to Mandan, North Dakota, in 1965. Diane taught at Flasher High School, later at Christ the King, and finally at Mandan Senior High School for 30 plus years. Diane retired in 2004, after which she and Pat enjoyed traveling in her convertible, watching the grandkids in all kinds of sporting events, and hunting and fishing. Throughout her life, Diane enjoyed camping, fishing, golfing, playing cards with her family and doing crossword puzzles. She did not like to sew, cook or clean. Diane died Thursday, February 18, 2010, at her home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley, Fargo. She is survived by her mother, Johnann Veren, Sturgis, SD; daughter, Mari (Marshall) McCullough and grandsons, Connor, Finn and Shane, Fargo, ND; and daughter, Tara (Hal Gray) O’Neil and grandchildren, Ian and Tori Thompson, St. Anthony, MN; son, Patrick O’Neil, Fargo, ND; two sisters, Gayle (Wally) Massie, Kalispell, MT, and Joyce (David) DeGarlais, Pocatello, ID; brother, Wade (Pauline) Veren, Rapid City, SD. She was preceded in death by her husband, Patrick O’Neil and father, Roland Veren. Memorials are preferred to the Hospice of the Red River Valley and the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. Memorial Service: Wednesday, February 24, 2010, at 12:00 PM, at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, ND. Visitation: One hour prior to services at the funeral home. Inurnment: North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND.