Diane Mary Skay

Diane Skay, a long-time resident of Rockville Centre, died peacefully surrounded by family on January 18, 2025. Never one to leave too late, she passed on what was her fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Born Diane Mary Melillo to Helen (Terzuola) and Angelo Melillo on January 5, 1950, her early childhood was spent in a classic Bay Ridge, Brooklyn house shared with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Diane was the middle of three children, a fact of which she liked to remind everyone. She was a graduate of The Mary Louis Academy, Stonehill College, and Saint John's University, where she received a master's degree in Political Science. She was a fierce debater and a master of getting the last word.
She met the love of her life, Michael Skay, on the Union Turnpike Q44A bus in Queens after the subway flooded due to rain. They married on January 18, 1975, fittingly during another rainstorm. Diane and Michael moved to Rockville Centre, N.Y., where together they raised two daughters, both of whom inherited their mother's talent for making sure they also got the last word.
Diane loved the Mets (even going as far as to end phone calls with her children because the Mets were on and they should know better), mystery novels, Beefeater martinis, extra dry, on the rocks with olives, and Hallmark movies. She was known for throwing the best holiday celebrations including an infamous Christmas morning breakfast where the entire extended family would gather to exchange gifts and bits of wisdom and a New Year's Eve bash where she would painstakingly create rhyming clues for a kid's scavenger hunt that ended by finding a treasure chest she had hidden in the house. Later she would entertain her friends by regaling tales of her grandchildren and their mischievous antics that she loved so much. She was a staunch Democrat who had no issue with making her views known. She had a strong moral compass and made sure everyone was treated fairly. She was not known for tolerating fools but also made sure all were welcome in the Skay home.
She is survived by her husband Michael, daughters Lindsay (Andrew Whitacre) of Arlington Mass., Courtney (Joseph Lukasiewicz) of Millburn, N.J., grandchildren Michael Whitacre, William, Julia, and David Lukasiewicz and brother Mark Melillo of Chapel Hill, N.C., as well as many extended family members all of whom will miss her wit and the twinkle in her eye. She was predeceased by her parents and older sister, Lenore Brien.
A private memorial will be held at a later date.