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Diane passed away on November 27, 2023. She had been living in Colorado (where her daughter Julie lives).
In a GoFundMe post her daughter wrote: "My mother's dream was always to live in Colorado and enjoy the mountain air. She loved the mountains and prior to moving to Colorado she regularly would visit... After she retired her favorite vacations were spent traveling to Washington to see her childhood friend, Rob Karro and his family, and staying in a cabin soaking in the mountain air."
We are very grateful for all of Diane's efforts over the years to keep the Class of 1964 together. For many years she lovingly kept a fat notebook with contact information/notes about every member of the class. As her health issues mounted she passed the book on to the 50th Reunion Committee.She was tireless in terms of rallying the class for many reunions over the years and once even pulled off a multi-class reunion in Colorado! She loved to hear from her classmates and always cheered everyone on.
Diane taught at Fox Lane for many years and was an active memer of the surrounding community, most notably running summer programs for children in the area.
She leaves behind her son Paul, her daughter and devoted caregiver Julie and three granddaughters.
(post: Becky Ketchum)
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Fred Higham
My earliest memory of Diane "Hugs" Lewin (Stonis) goes back to a Saturday afternoon right after the PHS Football Team defeated a rival team at Parkway Field. It was announced over the public address system (perhaps by Jerry Solin as the announcer) that the PHS Marching Band was going to continue the celebration by playinng victory music and march through the streets of P'ville back up to the High School. All of the PHS fans were encouraged to join them. The band started up in the center of the field and started marching. As I was standing there in the crowd this good looking girl from Armonk --- Diane Lewin --- comes up to me, smiles and grabs my hand. Then as a group we all followed the PHS Marching Band and our Cheerleaders. We sang along with each of their victory songs. Diane did not let go of my hand until we reached the traffic circle in front of the school. As I recalled back then --- that girl sure had lots of class spirit. Little did I know then, how much !!!
Over the years Diane was instrumental in organizing 5 of our 6 class reunions in Westchester County along with Mimi Cotter (Berlin) and others. Diane kept meticulious notes and contact information on each of our classmates.
1974 --- 10th Reunion at a restaurant in Elmsford
1981 --- 17th Reunion at the Ramada Inn in Armonk
1984 --- 20th Reunion at the Pleasantville Country Club
1989 --- 25 Reunion at the VHF Hall in Armonk
2011 --- 47th Reunion (when we all turned 65 ! ) in Armonk
Just before our 50th Reunion, we heard through the grapevine that Diane had lost her PHS 1964 Yearbook. So at our 50th Reunion Dinner at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Kisco on June 28, 2014 we presented Diane with a complete reprinted copy of our PHS 1964 Yearbook. Burt Gershater, who was our MC that evening, read the following inscription in the Yearbook to Diane and our class:
"The Pleasantville High School Class of 1964 presents this yearbook to Diane Lewin Stonis in apprceiation for 50 years of dedication and service as "Keeper of Class Spirit" and organizer of class reunions with sincere thanks and lots of hugs."
Rest in Peace Diane,
Fred
Fred Higham
Fred Higham
Mary Ann Cotter (Berlin)
This is a very hard one to write.
Diane and I were practically attached at the hip all through High School. I spent many weekends staying at her home in Windmill Farms. I always looked forward to our sleepovers. Her parents were warm and expressive whereas mine were not. And they were permissive where mine were not!
After she graduated from college and I graduated from Nursing School we shared an apartment in NYC for a short time.
We had many adventures and misadventures together and we were always supportive of which ever one of us was "suffering" - usually from a broken heart. In our later years illness was often the cause of our suffering and unfortunately Diane received the bulk of that misfortune.
Diane's love of Pville Class of 64 has been evident by her persistence in keeping us all connected via Class Reunions. But truly, Diane loved and cared for the other students of PHS as well. She was especially close to many of the members of the Class of '62.
Over the years our relationship has had its ups and downs. But I will always remember that wonderful smile which lit up her whole face and her joyous laughter.
Goodbye my dear friend. Rest well.
Marilynn Zipes (Wallace)
Diane was my birthday twin. We always sent each other greetings on the 16th of May. I was so grateful that she kept the Class of '64 reunions going - and persuaded me to cross the Atlantic for the 25th reunion, where she was still her vibrant self. At the 50th, I could see that she was ailing - but still upbeat and involved. A lovely lady who will not be forgotten. Mari (Zipes) Wallace
Geoffery Yorke
I was sincerely saddened to read of Diane's passing, even though she and I did not know each other well during our days as students at PHS. However, I developed a sincere affection for her post-graduation persona as the keeper of the flame of the class spirit throughout the almost six decades since our graduation. As some of you know, I am from a very small family (no siblings and only very distant cousins) and so relationships with classmates became my substitute for biological family ties. Thanks to Diane, those relationships continued to flourish, even long after we ceased to spend school days together. As Fred so aptly pointed out in his comments, Diane was the guiding spirit behind our early reunions and I think the pleasant memories we all share of those events are a lasting tribute to the love she lavished on PHS 64.
Ellen Koteen (Koteen)
I did not know Diane well but have always been most appreciative of her incredible work to keep our class connected. At the reunions, her warmth and vitality showed through. I want to highlight that her daughter, Julie, wrote a beautiful, heartfelt obituary about Diane on a gofundme page. See https://www.gofundme.com/f/37ghqcue3c. If this doesn't work, go to gofundme and put in the search Diane Lewin Stonis. My childhood friends from Pleasantville continue to be important to me. I'm not sure I would still be in close contact with them if Diane hadn't worked so hard to organize all our reunions. My deepest sympathy to her family.