DUDLEY – Diane F. (Kroll) Canty, 70, died Saturday, October 24, 2015 at her home surrounded by her family after a courageous fifteen-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
She leaves her husband of 49 years, Brian T. Canty; a daughter, Kimberly L. Lundquist and her husband Paul and their children Patrick and Joshua, all of Dudley; a son, Sean H. Canty of Charlton and his children, Christopher Mason and his companion Jamila Maurer, Connor Canty, twins Brianna and Kayla Canty, and Julia Canty, and their mother Laura Canty; a great-granddaughter, Ella Mason; a brother, Robert Kroll and his wife Janice of Waltham; 2 nieces, Kelly and Sharon; and a sister-in-law, Elaine Kroll. Her brother Arthur Kroll died in 1990.
She was born in Northbridge, the daughter of Bert and Georgia (Mitchell) Kroll, and had lived in Dudley most of her life. She graduated from Bartlett High School in 1963, where she was the lead majorette. She then completed studies at Worcester City Hospital in Worcester, graduating as a registered nurse in 1966. She married her high school sweetheart on August 20, 1966.
Mrs. Canty first worked at Worcester City Hospital and then was an intensive care unit nurse at Virginia Beach General Hospital. She was on the nursing staff at Hubbard Regional Hospital in Webster and was promoted to hospital nursing supervisor. Since 1986, she worked as a staff nurse for VNA Care Network in Worcester and then as its hospice clinical manager to the nursing staff. She then became an admissions nurse in the referral center, retiring in 2014.
She was a member of the Church of the Reconciliation in Webster and sang as a soprano in the choir for several years. She also served as a library trustee for the Pearle L. Crawford Library. She was part of the initial group that organized the annual bottle drive for Shepherd Hill Regional High School’s Music Department, and traveled with the show choir and chorus as a chaperone on several music competition trips. She enjoyed traveling, painting, and gardening. Her family was her treasure.
Diane’s family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Venu Bathini and his staff of the UMass. Oncology Department for the wonderful care they provided as well as to all of her caretakers, coworkers and friends from the VNA and Hospice of Central Mass. Thank you for all your calls, cards and visits: it meant more to her than words can describe.
The funeral will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 14, in the Church of the Reconciliation, 5 North Main Street, Webster. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, November 13, In Scanlon Funeral Service, 38 East Main St., Webster. Donations in her name may be made to either Church of the Reconciliation Memorial Fund, 5 North Main St., Webster, MA 01570 or to VNA Care Network, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, MA 01608.