Diane Conley
Diane Norman Conley, 77, went home to be with the Lord on April 10, 2021.
Diane was born on Feb. 16, 1944, in Chattanooga, to Sergeant Major Cecil Wayne Norman and Mrs. Frances May Swearingen Norman. She was married for 37 years to Mr. Terry Conley. After living much of her childhood in Germany, Diane returned to Chattanooga to attend Missionary Ridge Grammar School, Brainerd Junior High School, and Chattanooga City High School. She was retired from Chattanooga Center for Sports Medicine. Diane attended many churches in her life including Highland Park Baptist, where her grandfather was the organist, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Jude, and Hixson First Baptist. She most recently loved attending Dallas Bay Baptist Church.
Diane spent many years volunteering at O.L.P.H. and St. Jude schools where her children attended. She was also a member of Hamilton County Republican Women. In recent years, Diane enjoyed her weekly lunches with the “Dining Divas,” who also contributed to many charitable organizations. Always beautiful inside and out, Diane was a finalist in both the Mrs. Tennessee and Mrs. Chattanooga pageants. She enjoyed her time outdoors, gardening, boating on the lake, and swimming in her pool. Diane also enjoyed dining out, shopping, traveling, and Tennessee football. She loved her dog Charlie and bird Bunny. Diane truly lived each day to its fullest, cherishing time spent with her family and friends. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, and she will be greatly missed.
She would encourage everyone to live as she lived: love everyone you meet, include everyone, always smile, have fun each day, sing (even if you sound awful), dance, plant flowers, sit in the sunshine, play with children, cherish the elderly, play games, read good books, cook enough food so that there is always enough for visitors, laugh often, look for the positive, and always look your best.
Diane is survived by her husband, Terry Conley; daughters, Elizabeth McClain and Lindie Roden (Dale Roden); sons, Glenn Gatlin and Jody Conley; grandchildren, Zachary Malone, Benjamin Malone, Gordon Goodgame III, Brittany Conley, Cole McClain, Braxton Malone, Oliver Goodgame, Hunter Conley, Dylan McClain, Isabella Roden, and Emma Conley.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kelly Gatlin and brother, Cecil Norman.
Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14, and 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, April 15, at Chattanooga Funeral Home North Chapel, Hixson. A service officiated by Pastor Ken Duggan will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday in the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
The family requests in remembrance donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (st.jude.org).
Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com