Diana Lynne Drew

Diana Lynne Drew, 80, of Northborough, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, April 19, 2026, after a period of declining health.
Born on June 11, 1945, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Roger Trafton of Lowell, and Jean Laskey Drew of Haverhill, Diana was the eldest of five children. As the daughter of a young physician, her early years were marked by frequent moves before the family settled in Delmar, New York, where she spent her formative years and graduated from Bethlehem Central High School in 1963.
Diana went on to attend Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish in 1968. Her professional life as a systems analyst led her across the country, living in several state capitals while contributing to important state projects, particularly in the modernization of social services information systems. Though her work took her to many places, she ultimately made her
final home in the Northborough/Hudson, Massachusetts area, while also cherishing her time in Olympia, Washington.
While Diana’s career was meaningful, it was her friendships that truly defined her life. She maintained a close-knit circle of friends from her high school and college years who became, in
every sense, her chosen family. Among them, her beloved “Golden Girls”—Sue Rabaut, RoseAnn Hannan, and Marsha Hayward—held a special place in her heart. Diana, affectionately
known as “Didi,” proudly embraced her role in the group, often jokingly compared to Estelle Getty’s character.
Together, they built a lifetime of memories filled with travel, laughter, and shared traditions. Whether windsurfing, paddleboarding, skiing, or simply gathering for lively dinners and
celebrations, Diana found joy in being surrounded by those she loved. Summers always included treasured weeks at Higgins Lake in Michigan each August with the Rabaut clan, and annual
April trips to Marco Island, Florida with an ever growing contingent of friends and family. These times became cherished rituals for more than four decades. Though her health prevented her
from making her Marco trip this year, the memories of those times remained close to her heart.
Diana also had a deep love of sports and was a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, and her alma mater, the Michigan State Spartans. Watching games with friends and
family was one of her favorite pastimes, always accompanied by good food, hardy laughter and spirited shenanigans.
Diana’s love for her friends, travel, and sports was immense—but it may have been rivaled only by her devotion to her feline companions. Over the years, she welcomed many cats into her
home, each one thoroughly adored and unquestionably in charge. She gave them a life full of comfort and affection, caring for them with the same loyalty and attention she so generously
gave to the people in her life. At her passing she left behind Mattie and Marley who are currently keeping up the household and ensuring law and order just as Didi would have wanted.
She is survived by her four siblings: Philip (Linda) Drew of Cape Neddick, Maine; Gregory (Cathy) Drew of Marietta, Georgia; Kevin (Beth) Drew of San Francisco, California and São
Paulo, Brazil; and Jennifer Miller of Delmar, New York. She also leaves behind nine nieces and nephews and ten grand-nieces and grand-nephews, as well as her Golden Girl counterparts Susan
Rabaut and Marsha Hayward, and a wide circle of lifelong friends who will miss her deeply.
Diana was predeceased by her parents; her great-nephews, Nicholas Parker Gebhardt and Patrick James Drew; her dear friend and “Golden Girl” RoseAnn Hannan; her close friend Gail
Robinson; and her former brother-in-law, Mark Gebhardt.
A celebration of Diana’s life will be held at a later date in Delmar, New York, where she will be laid to rest alongside her parents at Bethlehem Cemetery.

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