Mary "Diane" Custer

Mary "Diane" Custer, born October 18, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away on August 28, 2026 at the age of 74. Although Diane was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2022, it thankfully had not stolen her memories of family and friends, and she enjoyed daily visits with her siblings and loved ones. She died peacefully after a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer just six weeks before her passing. Preceded in death by her parents Robert and Joan Custer, siblings Greg, Steve, and Gail (Yatz) Gundrum, she is survived by siblings Jenny (Craig) Southerington, Jim, Dave (Ann), Tom (Beth), 16 nieces and nephews, 23 great-nieces and nephews, and many cousins.

The 4th of 8 children, Diane enjoyed life with a large family that remains close. Growing up, the family gathered every Friday night for dinner at Grandpa Joe Brueggeman's house in Hyde Park; her mother's sister, Aunt Dottie (Gene) Taylor and her cousins would join them. In recent years, she joined her siblings every other week for "sibs lunch" at various restaurants, and card nights at her brother Dave's house. That's how important family was to her. As a young adult, Diane worked summers at Coney Island, as did siblings Greg, Steve, Dave, and Tom. She helped organize family holiday get-togethers and created many family traditions, such as cooking the Thanksgiving dinner with her sisters, faithfully providing the French onion soup on Christmas Eve, preparing and hosting a New Year's Day spaghetti dinner with her brother Jim, providing platters of Aglamesis candy on Easter, and hosting the family pumpkin-carving party before Halloween. Diane loved spending time with her nieces and nephews and they too made time for her. There were many recent visits where stories and laughter could be heard brightening her day, just like Diane had done for them all her life.

Her family life and experience as a big sister instilled in her a love of children. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor's degree in Special Education, and later from Xavier University with a master's of Montessori Education, she spent her entire 33 year career as a Special Education teacher for the Forest Hills School District. Her devotion to children extended into retirement, when she spent years volunteering for Pro Kids, first as a court- appointed special advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children, and later as a Parent Surrogate to work with CASA managers and school personnel to ensure that students got the support they needed to succeed. Her dedication, experience, skills, and passion for kids were recognized when she received the 2015 Pro Kids Merilee Turner Volunteer of the Year award. She had a big heart, and her kindness and generosity were a positive influence in many lives.

Diane loved to create beauty through crafting and gardening. She and her sisters Jenny and Gail especially loved to sew, quilt, crochet, and knit. They made time for "craft days", vacation retreats and attended many art shows and craft fairs. As her sign read in her basement craft studio, "There's No Such Thing as Too Much Fabric". She learned the art of stained glass from Aunt Dottie Taylor. During the pandemic, her basement became the "glass studio" where she hosted a weekly dinner and "glass night" with her brothers Tom and Jim, sister Gail, and nephew Sean Gundrum. Diane loved nature and the outdoors, spending time creating beautiful gardens in her yard. She encouraged creativity with all the kids she encountered, and hosted Fairy Garden Parties and Robot Creation parties in her beautiful backyard with her sisters, nieces, and nephews and their kids. She enjoyed walks in many Cincinnati parks and loved to acknowledge the simple and natural beauty of our environment. She also enjoyed attending plays and musicals at the Playhouse in the Park and Aronoff Center with family and friends.

A private family service will be held to celebrate her life. Donations may be made in Diane's memory to the Greater Cincinnati Alzheimer's Association or ProKids