Dianne Mae Stokes

Dianne Mae Stokes, age 79, of Sioux Falls, passed away at her home in Sioux Falls. Public visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home in Baltic. Private family funeral will be Thursday at West Nidaros Lutheran Church with interment in the church cemetery.

Dianne was born on February 1, 1946, to Dale and Borghild (Hansen) Stokes. She lived in rural Flandreau and graduated from Egan High School in 1963. She moved to Sioux Falls in 1964 and married Robert Neeley in 1966. They moved to an acreage near Colton where they raised their three beautiful children, Jodi, Amy, and Tom. Dianne was a member of the Colton United Methodist Church. Dianne worked in labor and delivery and had a great passion for her work. Dianne was in on several family and friends’ deliveries they always asked if she was working and could be in on their delivery. She worked at the Dells Area Hospital for 10 years. After the Dells Hospital, she began working at the Sioux Valley Hospital (Sanford) until her retirement.

The most important things in Dianne’s life was her family…especially her grandkids. She loved every single one of them unconditionally. To her grandchildren she was Grandma but to them that meant so much more. Every summer she would take them on “Grandma Camp”, a magical tradition which included homemade t-shirts with “G” Camp on them. Lots of laughs and memories were created for her grandchildren to hold on to. She loved fishing with them and patiently untangling the lines and she always celebrated the smallest catch. And every birthday they would receive a book…and not just any book…it was handpicked and inscribed with a cherished handwritten note. When the Grandchildren turned 5 years old it was a rite of passage that you got to spend a whole day with Grandma and go to the circus. Her warmth, wisdom, and unwavering love defined her life. Her legacy lives not only in the stories, memories but all the lives she touched. She will be deeply missed and remembered forever.

Dianne is survived by her children and grandchildren: Jodi (Todd) Panning and their children, Ethan (Kylie) Heitkamp, Kaylee (Jason) Steckley, JT (Sierra) Panning and Aidan (Layne Schmidt) Heitkamp; and Tom (Jackie) Neeley, and their children, Owen Neeley, Blake Jaquith, and Lucas Neeley; her son-in-law, Matt Hilt, and his children, Bryce (Jordan Hanley) Hilt and Caleb Hilt; brother, Warren (Judy) Stokes; and sisters-in-law, Linda and Loretta Stokes; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Amy Hilt; brothers, Chuck and Dennis, and a sister Linda.