Diana K Antone

Diana Antone, A fiercely independent spirit and lifelong Oregonian, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2025, at the age of 88.

Born on December 29, 1936, in Eugene, Oregon, Diana was the youngest of four children born to the Antone family. She grew up alongside her siblings, Howard, Mary(Donoho), And Wayne, during the challenging years of the Great  Depression. From a young age, Diana learned the value of hard work, helping out on the family chicken farm and spending long summer days picking beans, strawberries, cherries, and other crops to sell at the local markets.

Diana‘s love for the outdoors was lifelong. As a child, she would walk to the nearby, Willamette river, where she discovered a passion for fishing that stayed with her well into her 80s. Over the years, she fished the Columbia, McKenzie, Deschutes, Siuslaw, and Rogue rivers — but it was the Umpqua River that eventually became her favorite for catching large Steelhead. In her later years, she continued fishing with the help of professional guides, many of whom joke that Diana knew the rivers better than they did.

After graduating from Eugene high school in 1952, Diana attended University of Oregon, and thereafter began a 35 year career at the DMV in Eugene and Springfield.

An adventurous traveler, Diana often set off on solo road trips along the Oregon coast, and through the scenic back roads of Idaho, Utah, and Arizona — Her fishing gear always in tow. She never missed a chance to stop and cast the line into the Snake, Salmon or even Henry’s Fork, Finding peace and joy in the solitude of the water.

Though she never married or had children of her own, Diana cherished her role as a devoted aunt. She poured her love and care into the lives of her many nieces and nephews, loving each of them as if they were her own.

Diana‘s strength, independence, quiet generosity, as well as her fun loving sense of humor and quick wit left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.  She will be deeply missed. 

A graveside service to honor and celebrate Diana’s life will be held at Rest-Haven cemetery on Friday at 10am.