Diana Dean Maldonado, 80, of Des Moines, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 22, 2024 at her home at Luther Park in Des Moines. Diana was born on February 28, 1944 to parents Darwin and Kathryn Stinson. She was born first of 2 girls, and grew up on Des Moines’ Southside for her entire life. She graduated from Des Moines Tech High School in 1962, going on to pursue various administrative and entrepreneurial ventures until she retired.
Diana was introduced to Danny Maldonado by his sister Mary Linda with whom Diana was closely acquainted. Despite what felt like a forbidden courtship, Danny and Diana could not part. The two were married by the Justice of the Peace on February 2, 1962, and just 4 months later welcomed their first daughter, Diana Lynn. In May of 1964, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Lori Anne into the world, and rounding out the bunch in July of 1972 was their youngest, Lee Ann.
After her youngest was born in 1972, Diana went into the workforce, working in Dr. Bannisters office as administrative and secretarial support. During this time, Diana also started her career as an Avon Representative, a career that spanned nearly 5 decades. Her passion to serve her community and care for others was clear through her dozens of Avon Presidential Club awards for her dedicated service, and culminated in her 2 and a half decades-long in-home childcare career.
Her hands planted countless items in her garden, she changed an inconceivable amount of diapers, cut tens of thousands of onions, canned an untold number of tomatoes, spent endless hours cooking food for her family, stuffed and delivered more Avon orders than could be counted…all in service to those around her. Now it’s time for her to rest.
She is survived by her daughters Lynn (Donald) Cassady, Lee Ann (Ray Yori) Maldonado; niece Sarah Burrows, grandchildren Jade (Greg), Brenna (Chris), Nicholas, Kailee, Kelcey, Jordan, Noah (Hannah) and Natalie, great-grandchildren Leo, Briella and Cody, sister Patricia Cranford, and a wealth of extended family.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Darwin and Kathryn Stinson, her loving husband of 58 years, Daniel, her beloved daughter Lori, and her siblings, Mark, Steve and Shelley.
A visitation will be held on Friday, December 27, 2024 at Sunset Memorial Gardens on Fleur Drive from 5pm to 7pm. A service will be held at 11am at Sunset Memorial Gardens on Saturday, December 28, 2024. A private family burial will be held at a later date.
