Obit: Cullen, Dianne "Duffy" #2 (1941 - 2007)
Contact:  Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Cullen, Gordon, Duffy, Zenk, Stearns, Rommel, Hanson, Haeseker, Swenson, Leiferman

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, WI.) January 10, 2007

Cullen, Dianne "Duffy" (April 2, 1941 - January 8, 2007)

Diane Duffy Cullen, age 65, of Neillsville, died Monday January 8, 2007 surrounded by her family, following a long battle with cancer.

Dianne Duffy was born in Montrose, S.D. on April 2, 1941 to the late Nicholas Clifford and Clara Marie (Gordon) Duffy. She moved to Rapid City at three years old. There she attended Cathedral Catholic Church and 12 years of Cathedral School. In 1962, she married Dennis Cullen, of Chamberlain, SD, and they started a very interesting life. They lived in Midland, MI, Buffalo, NY, Minneapolis, MN, Kobe, Japan, Victoria, MN, Darien, IL, Philadelphia, PA, Kankakee, IL, Edina, MN and Neillsville, WI. Church was where she went to find friends and spirited support. In most of the churches, she was soon put to work as a lector and Eucharistic minister and other volunteer jobs. She became a "befriender" and would call on the sick and dying. She also worked along side a deacon at some of the nursing homes.

Dianne was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She was a Lady in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. She was the president of the International Women’s club in Kobe Japan in the early 80s. She was a member in the All Saints Guild of Visitation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, MN.

Dianne and Dennis retired in Neillsville in 1997 to their home on Lake Arbutus. Dianne was soon busy making many new friends including founding the Neillsville/Hatfield Chapter of the Red Hat Society of which she was Queen Mum. In retirement she spent considerable time making stain glass windows for family and friends, a skill she leaned while living in Philadelphia area. Other hobbies included bridge, knitting and travel.

Dianne is survived by her husband, Dennis; daughter, Belinda Zenk, of La Crosse; sons, William (Kathy Stearns), of Minnetonka, MN; David and Matthew, both of Minneapolis, MN; sister, Suzanne Duffy (Jim) Rommel, of Edina, MN; brother, Mike (Cindy) Duffy, of Dodge Center, MN; sister-in-law, Cathy Duffy, of Fargo, ND; mother-in-law, Irene Cullen, of Chamberlain; and six grandchildren.

Dianne is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Joseph; and sister, Colleen.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville, with the Very Rev. Woodrow H. Pace, celebrant. There will be a wake service Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. Prayer Service at the Gesche Funeral Home. Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Neillsville, Wis.

Knights and Ladies of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem will serve as an Honor Guard.

Casket Bearers are Dianne’s nephews: Joseph Duffy, John Duffy, Nicholas Duffy, Pat Duffy, Phillip Rommel, Mike Hanson, Charles Haeseker, Jim Swenson and Scott Leiferman.

Memorials may be directed to the Ministry Home Care Hospice of Marshfield, 300 Upham Street, Marshfield, WI 54449 and the Casa Carolina Project through St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1813 Black River Road, Neillsville, WI 54456.

The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Dianne’s family with funeral arrangements.