Diane was born September 22, 1949 to Della and Donald Gebers in Cherokee, IA. She was a beautiful baby with thick black hair and a cherubs smile. Diane attended Holstein Elementary and Holstein High School and acted in theatre where she met the love of her life Duane at the age of 13. Diane sang in the glee club and played basketball. Duane and Diane were married June 10, 1967 at the Holstein Catholic Church. Duane was called to serve in the army during the Pueblo crisis while they resided in Colorado Springs, Co. In 1969 the couple made there home in Storm Lake, IA. To their union was born Dawn Rae on March 21, 1970. On Duane and Diane's 10th anniversary they traveled to Burlington, IA to adopt 5 month old Dena Mae. Diane devoted her life to raising her daughters and supporting her husband.

Diane contributed to Duane's law enforcement career serving as matron and dispatcher. Taking calls anytime during the night and monitoring radio dispatch came naturally as her father Don Gebers served as Ida County Sheriff for 27 years. Diane's ever growing list of accomplishments include teaching wildflowers at Buena Vista County outdoor classroom, Iowa bird census, horticulture competitor and judge, 4-H helper, Homemaker newsletter contributer, lifelong member of federated garden club in both Iowa and South Dakota. Publicised in Iowa Sheriffs and Deputies magazine, published in Lady Bird Johnson national poetry book, field editor for Birds and Blooms Magazine, Iowa Governors Volunteer Award, master gardener degree, member of the fish hatcheries board, Bluebirds Across Nebraska Project, Red Hats Society. She worked for Gurney Seed and Nursery and Hy-Vee's greenhouse after moving to Yankton, SD in 1989. She was an avid organic gardener that shared knowledge on weed control, garden pests and any other garden facts. Diane enjoyed country life on the acreage she and her family built. Her interests included poultry, horses, pot belly pigs, exotic pheasants, peacocks, ducks, geese, cats, cows, and even a llama. Artistic and knowledgeable, Diane touched the lives of so many with her random facts, writings, and paintings. We lost a beautiful soul to breast cancer but heaven gained an angel of such magnitude that we take great solace in the brighter skies that shine over the family homestead. We cared for wife and mother with the same love she showed all of us in the short time she had here on earth.

Her memory will be cherished by her husband, Police Chief Duane Heeney; daughter, Dena Heeney; daughter, Dawn Kabella, son in law, Lonnie Kabella, and their four children: Alexa, Levi, Dominic and Antani of Yankton, SD; sister, Debbie (Mike) Wood; brother, Donnie (Sherry) Gebers and several nieces and nephews.