Diane Janet (Quirin) Strand, recently of DeKalb, Illinois, beloved wife of Wesley Strand and loving mother of Heather Strand and Stacey Conover, passed away at her residence in Geneva, IL, on December 28, 2025, just shy of her 82nd birthday. She was smart, beautiful, and passionate –- an artist, journalist, and advocate -- as well as a loving sister, friend, wife, mother, aunt, grand and great-grandmother.

Diane was born on January 18, 1944, in La Grange, Illinois, to Leo and Lucy (White) Quirin. She grew up in La Grange, between the Burlington Northern Railroad for which her father served as Chief Engineer, and St. Francis Xavier Church, where her mother sang Ave Maria every Sunday. Diane was an artist from the earliest age, completing her first oil painting at the age of 9, and continuing to create and share art with others for the rest of her life. She attended St. Francis School, Nazareth Academy HS, and Lyons Township Junior College in La Grange, where she met several treasured lifelong friends.

In her early twenties, she met the love of her life, Wesley Strand, just before he went off to war for the U.S. Army. She wrote to him every day while he was stationed overseas. When he returned home, they married and moved to Elgin to build a family.

With a toddler and infant in tow, Diane enrolled in Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, determined to finish her undergraduate degree. She graduated with honors with a BA degree in Sociology and Art, and later an MA degree in Journalism. Diane lived and worked in DeKalb for many years, remaining deeply connected to the academic and civic life of the community.

A dedicated journalist and communicator, she spent much of her career as a newspaper reporter, first in Elgin and then in DeKalb. Later, Diane became the founder and editor of the Northern Illinois University Public Information Office’s Northern Today — a widely respected faculty and staff publication.

Diane was known for her vibrant and award-winning feature articles, which highlighted key members of the community and often advocated for local groups in need. A tireless champion of the underdog, she carried a deep empathy borne of her own experiences, having had to overcome several family, health and financial hardships over the course of her life. Her work appeared in the Elgin Courier-News, the DeKalb Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, and elsewhere.

Beyond journalism, Diane was a gifted artist, expressing herself through drawing, painting, poetry, and music. As a member of the Kishwaukee Art League, her work was featured in galleries and publications across the DeKalb County area. She was also a passionate advocate for members of her community, volunteering with local homeless shelters, homes for battered women, children in foster care, refugees, and the League of Women Voters.

She and her husband Wesley shared a love of music, travel, and the outdoors, and a zest for life, instilling this love in their children. If there were no plans for a given Sunday, they would pick a place on the map, and the family would head out for a “breezy ride” and a day’s adventure. They crisscrossed the United States on a shoestring budget visiting 45 states -- camping, exploring, painting and singing along the way. Throughout her life, Diane brought curiosity, creativity and passion to every personal and professional pursuit. Her feisty determination, infectious laughter, and vibrant spirit colored the lives of everyone she touched, and she will be remembered and missed by all of us who knew and loved her.

Diane was blessed to have a large extended family, and is survived by her husband, Wesley Strand; her daughters, Heather Strand (Charles Servaites) of Washington, DC, and Stacey (John) Conover of San Tan Valley, Arizona; seven beloved grandchildren — Jatiana Nero, Ashley Conover, Ebony Wilson-Conover, John Conover, Jr., Heather (Zach) Andrade, Isabel Servaites, and Celia Servaites; and nine beautiful great-grandchildren — Jamia Penson, Jayla Henderson, Jayden Marcano, DeShawn Thomas, Samiyah Thomas, Tristan Conover, Sebastian Shipley, Gabriel Conover, and Zareyah Conover. She is also survived by eight kind and generous sisters and brothers-in-law; and nineteen wonderful nieces and nephews.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, Lucy and Leo Quirin, her dear brother, John “Jack” Quirin, her devoted sister, Mary (Quirin) Thonn, and her brother and sister-in-law, Doug and Jan Strand.

Diane’s grandchildren wished to share some of their memories:

“I will always remember Grandma giving us our own songs and singing them to us. I will forever hear ‘A Bushel and a Peck’ sung in her sweet voice, as I sat on her lap petting CoCo.” (Ashley)

“Grandma, you are loved beyond measure and missed beyond words.” (John)

“I admired Grandma for her strength and perseverance and was deeply inspired by how devoted she was to her writing. She didn’t stop until each story was beautifully told. Her passion and discipline shaped me more than she knew.” (Isabel)

“I read this poem the other day by an anonymous author, and it reminded me of Grandma: ‘I am too full of life and too loud with love to be held in trembling hands that second guess the sun. Don’t call me maybe when I was born burning.’ Grandma was a fire that could not be put out, she was strong-willed, intelligent, beautiful, and unintentionally hilarious. I am so grateful I was able to be in her life and be a part of her world. She had a beautiful mind, and I hope to lead a life that is at least half as impactful as hers was on me.” (Celia)

A burial service for close friends and family will be held on Friday, March 6th, at Clarendon Hills Cemetery in Darien, Illinois, followed by a Celebration of Life. The family thanks you for your support and asks that you share this memorial with anyone who was touched by Diane’s life. Please visit her online tribute page at AndersonFuneralHomeLtd.com to leave a message of condolence or share a favorite memory.

Diane believed deeply that our world needs more kindness, compassion, and truth, so in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: Hope Haven Shelter in DeKalb, Illinois, or ProPublica, (https://www.propublica.org/about), an independent, nonprofit newsroom.