Diane Zinke Loomis

Diane Zinke Loomis of Chester, SD, at the age of 76, died at home peacefully in her sleep after a long illness. Her husband was with her as was her son and his wife on March 26th.

Diane was born in 1944 in Rochester NY.  She grew up in a suburb of Rochester, Honeoye Falls.  In her senior year of high school, the family was a host for a student from Santiago, Chile.  The summer after graduation (1962), she traveled to Chile and spent time there with her “sister” and family.  She graduated in 1966 from Wittenberg University with a major in romance languages.  Following graduation, she entered the Peace Corps and trained at the University of Washington in Seattle.  It was there that she met her future husband, Donald, who was an instructor for a group of trainees.  Unfortunately, due to illness she was unable to finish her training.  After moving back home she acquired a position at International Fellowship in Buffalo which is an organization that brings exchange students from South America to the U.S. in their senior year.  After attending the Univ. of New Mexico, Don moved to Buffalo.  The two were married on July 1, 1967.  They traveled to Bogota, Colombia by car where Don was a teacher at Colegio Nueva Granada and Diane was administrative assistant to the high school principal.  While there, they adopted two children.  Six years later they moved back to the U.S. to South Dakota. She became the Education Department’s secretary at Augustana College.  After retirement she became a hospice volunteer which she enjoyed immensely. She also worked part-time in the office of Anderson Nurseries which she also enjoyed. She and Don loved to travel and cruise.  Every state (except Hawaii) had been visited and enjoyed, not to mention the Caribbean islands and Alaska on many cruises. She was an avid reader and loved cross stitch.

She will be dearly missed by many friends and relatives. Diane is survived by her husband of 53 years, Don, her son, Eric (Shannon) of Sioux Falls, her sister, Kathy (Bob) Morak of Hillsboro, OR., three grandchildren: Mitchell, Myka and Samantha, plus three great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Tanya. Due to Covid-19, a service and burial will take place at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the Sioux Falls Humane Society and/or Feeding SD.