- April 26, 2024
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Diane Marie Dunn, 80, of Ormond Beach, died Jan. 28, 2024, at Advent Health, Daytona Beach. Diane was born Sept. 19, 1943, in Panama City, Panama, Canal Zone, to Lee Robert Dixon, an American from Oklahoma, and Ofelia Solera Flores Dixon of Heredia, Costa Rica. Her first 12 years were lived in Costa Rica and Panama where she attended both a Spanish and later an American school. She retained her fluency in Spanish throughout her life. The family moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., in September 1955, where Diane completed her education at St. Petersburg High School in 1960, where she was a member of National Honor Society, The Dean’s List and President of Sancho Panza Spanish Club.
August 18, 1962, Diane married George D. Dunn (Sandy), also of St. Petersburg. The couple moved to Daytona Beach in 1968, where Sandy represented Sentry Insurance Company. At the time, they had two sons, Daniel and Gregory, joined by a sister, Leanne, in 1969. In 1974, Sandy and Diane built a home in Ormond Beach which Diane designed the plans for her “Dream Home”, literally built and furnished to her specifications where they raised their active family and had a working hog farm and later cows and donkeys.
As the children grew, Diane joined Sandy in the insurance business, becoming a licensed agent in property and casualty and later, life and health. In 1979, the couple established Dunn and Associates Insurance, Inc., where they worked side by side until Diane’s passing. Diane was a member of the National Association of Insurance Women and the local Insurance Women of Daytona Beach Association where she served on the board of directors and as president in 1982-1983.
In 1993, she joined Pilot International and the Pilot Club of the Halifax Area, Inc. and served on the Board of Directors and as President of the local club for 2000-2001 and Co-President with her daughter, Leanne, for 2001-2002. She and Leanne made many memorable trips to International Pilot conventions.
Diane was especially proud of her role in organizing the Community Homemakers Club, a division of the Extension Service of the University of Florida, in 1972. She went on to be president of the Volusia County Council of Extension Homemakers from 1978 to 1980.
In 1994, Diane was named an Honorary Life Member of the Volusia County Fair, having served on the Fair’s Board of Directors for over 20 years and as Creative Arts Display Superintendent for several years.
Diane was a generous soul, an engaging personality who made friends everywhere she went and will always be remembered by her contagious and beautiful smile and her adventurous spirit. She enjoyed creative crafts, cooking, baking, antiquing and traveling. She and Sandy made numerous trips throughout the United States including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Central America and Europe over the years. They also delighted in treating their five grandchildren to weekend trips to Disney World when they were young. One of Diane’s favorite destinations was Costa Rica where she made many trips to visit members of her mother’s wonderful family. Over the years, she saw to it that all her children and grandchildren got the opportunity to visit her homeland.
In addition to her parents, Diane is predeceased by her brother, Robert L. Dixon and sister in law Connie Purvis. Survivors include her husband and best friend of 62 years, George (Sandy) Dunn; sons Daniel Dunn, Gregory Dunn (Michelle); daughter Leanne Hansard (Wayne); grandchildren, Joshua Hansard (Cait), Austin Hansard (Abby), Brittany Dunn, Ashleigh Dunn and Courtney Payne; great-grandchildren, Cami, Jacob, Aria, Leona and Bennett, Uncle Danilo Solera, Mexico City, Mexico (Isabel Lilia), Multiple Cousins in US, Costa Rica and Mexico, Brother in Law Jerry Purvis, nieces Cindy and Chris, and Angela Rector (Chris).
All 4-H donations in memory of Diane Dunn need to be mailed to:
St. Johns County Extension Office
3125 Agricultural Center Drive
St. Augustine, FL 32259
Attn: SJC 4-H Program
Please make checks payable to the SJC 4-H Association
Pilot International
https://www.pilotinternational.org/donate
St. Jude https://bit.ly/49v1QAI
Shriners https://bit.ly/3UPmsPh
