Diane Marie Henderson of Vero Beach, Florida (originally Marshfield, MA) passed peacefully on Monday November 27th, 2023.  She bravely battled pancreatic cancer for 5 months before succumbing to her illness.  During that time, she was surrounded by her family and her friends.

Diane grew up in Marshfield, Massachusetts but her adventurous spirit took her to places all over the world. From Vietnam to Cuba, San Francisco to St. Thomas, once spending a month's time back-packing through Europe. She made many of these places her home for a time. Gathering life-long friends wherever she landed and making such an impact that she was often considered family by those she left behind. Homes in San Francisco and San Diego, California, Jost Van Dyke, Sebastian, Florida and Waynesville, North Carolina just to name a few, gifted her with countless honorary nieces and nephews whom she treated as her own.

Diane had that rare special gift of always bringing the fun. And a gift for showing incredible kindness to everyone. Brightening a room with her presence, filling that room with her trademark giggles, and then leaving the warm memory of her smile and her heart when she walked out the door. Always a phone call away, Diane was the kind of person who would jump to assist, surprise you at the airport and very often return to visit, always bringing with her that smile, that giggle, and a mountain of home-made peanut butter squares.

Diane lived life to the fullest, relishing the joy in every moment and she was happiest in the times she could bring along family or a friend to share in that adventure. Her joy for life and for travel was infectious and her loving heart equally so. As she traveled the world, she learned from all the people she met along the way, and she was not afraid of hard work. Because she was a people person to her core, she excelled in every role she held from service to bartending, managing a restaurant to becoming a chef on private catamaran charters. Diane had that pick-up-and-go attitude that helped her to settle into a new setting with complete ease and enjoy what opportunities came her way while there. But regardless of where Diane rested her head over the years, she was most at home wherever there was a white sandy beach, giving her a moment to kick up her bare feet and enjoy the view. And maybe…just maybe, you'd catch her wearing her Red Sox or Bruins t-shirt while she watched the setting sun, toasting to life!

Diane is daughter of Sandra Hawes (Henderson) and James Henderson who have both predeceased her.  She is survived by her sister Linda Sparks, her brother Brian Hawes and wife Tricia Hawes and children, Carly, Zachary and Emily, and her stepfather John Hawes.

Diane also has a large extended family including Judy and Leo Cheney, Paula Cheney, Lynn Cheney, Loraine Henderson, Brian Henderson and family, Scott Henderson, Beth and Michel Murphy and their children Belle, Lila and Boston, Bev and Bruce McIntosh, Mary and Ken Brown and Marsha and Dave Ferracane.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday 12/09/23 at 11am at the North Community Church, 72 Old Main Street in Marshfield Hills with a "Celebration of Life" lunch to follow around 12pm.  Everyone is welcome to come to one, the other or both.  If you are coming for lunch, please try to RSVP to sparky_hawes@yahoo.com so we have enough food.

Diane would love for people to donate to the Sato Project as it was a charity dear to her heart from the days she lived in Puerto Rico. You can learn more and donate online at: The Sato Project

Diane also loved Maryellen's Flower shop in Marshfield, MA.