Diane P. Reed

With great sadness, the family of Diane Reed announce her death in October 2024 due to an acute respiratory illness in Wilmington, NC. In 1943, Diane was born in Washington, D.C. to James and Gertrude Reed. She grew up in the suburbs, attending Wheaton High School. In 1961, she began work at NIH, moving on to a job at IBM in 1966, where she continued for more than 30 years as a talented and valued executive secretary/administrator. She worked for Lockheed-Martin for a few years before retiring. Diane was known for her excellent organization and record-keeping skills which she inherited from her mother and father. At 81, she still maintained a record book of every gas purchase and calculated her MPG like her father before her.

Diane was married first to Jim Liberti and later to Bob Pembleton. In her retirement years, her beloved partner was Denny Brown. Although she never had any children of her own, she loved being a step-mom to Bob's daughter and son, and she treasured her time with Denny's six granddaughters. She was especially thrilled to be 'Aunt Di' to her nephew, James, and grandnephews Owen and Easton.

Diane and Denny moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 2006. They enjoyed antiquing, collecting antique cameras, and traveling. Denny was a great cook which Diane greatly appreciated. A cat-lover all her life, Diane enjoyed her kitties Twerp, Tarot and Jingles. She was really a kid at heart and outfitted her life-sized stuffed bear, "Boo-Boo," for the current season or holiday! She was well-known for her thoughtful or humorous little gifts at Christmas. She was sentimental, treasuring family mementos and keepsakes.

Diane will be deeply missed, not only by her family, but also by the amazing number of friends she made throughout her life. She had a big heart and was a faithful, loyal, and caring friend, always ready to help when needed. She often initiated reunions and get-togethers, and was the glue that kept friends and family together. For 38 years, she organized an annual beach vacation with high school girlfriends. She was an avid fan of figure skating, attending numerous competitions along with her 'skating friends,' even working as an ice patcher at the finals of the Salt Lake City Olympics! Diane was a dedicated yard sale shopper and bargain hunter, using those skills to fill her car with housewares donations for Mercy Mall of VA, where she volunteered often with her sister, Jane. She was also a long-time supporter of the Search Group Home in Mt. Jackson, volunteering in their Thrift Store, helping with fundraisers, serving on the Board, and enjoying the residents of the Home. She was known for her generosity with love, time and money.

Always eager to travel, Diane enlisted friends and family to join her on tours and cruises in Europe, America, Thailand, Columbia and, most recently, to Belize and Iceland. Her license plate was 'WENT4IT', which she often did, whether it was a hot air balloon ride, jumping off a 'Pamper Pole' to a trapeze at a ranch in Oklahoma, or flying down a zip line in Belize at age 80!

Diane is survived by her sister, Jane Zimmerman (Brian); her nephew, James Zimmerman (Brittany); and grandnephews, Owen and Easton; cousins Maggie, Douglas (Susan), Kathleen (Rick), and Gary (Margie); and her former husband, Jim Liberti. She was predeceased by her beloved partner, Charles "Denny" Brown; her brother, Donald Reed (Sharry); her mother and father, Gertrude and James Reed; her aunt and uncle Peggy and Frank Rhymes; and her former husband, Bob Pembleton.

A private memorial service will be held at the family gravesite in Hickory, NC, at a future date.

Donations may be made to Currituck Kids, Inc., P.O. Box 27, Maple, NC 27956 (CurrituckKids.com) or to Shenandoah County SEARCH, Inc. Group Home, P.O. Box 1147, Mt. Jackson, VA 22842 (shenandoahsearch.org/support-us).