Diane T. (Dello Russo) Geehan, of Dracut, formerly of Medford, passed away quietly September 20, 2009 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was 48. Diane was a loving wife, caring mother, devoted daughter and sister, a dedicated nurse and avid runner.
Diane is survived by her loving husband of 25 years, Brian, three sons, Anthony, Sean and Dominic of Dracut. Her husband and sons dedicated the last month to caring for her at home.
Diane is also survived by her parents Anthony (Tony) and Roseleen (Toddy) Dello Russo, her sisters Mary Jo Petrone and her husband Richard, Kathie Hunt and her husband Kevin, and Amy Cline and her husband Shawn, all of Medford and her brothers Michael and his wife, Delma of Revere, Christopher and his wife Kathy of Medford and Dominic of Arlington. She will meet up in heaven with her brother Anthony who passed in 1983. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Diane is a 1979 graduate of Pope John XXIII High School in Everett, and a 1982 graduate of the Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.
Her nursing career began at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in the Critical Care Unit. She worked at Lahey Clinic as a staff nurse for 20 plus years in CCU/ICU, PACU and most recently Ambulatory Surgery. In addition she worked for the visiting nurses, St. John’s Hospital and Lowell General Hospital.
She was a mentor to many nursing students, an advocate for her patients and a cheerleader for all causes. Diane was an active member of the Greater Lowell Road Runners. She ran many marathons including the Boston Marathon on numerous occasions. On June 5, 2009, she led a huge contingent of walkers in TEAM Born to Run Land of Hopes and Dreams to raise money for the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center at Lahey Clinic.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family at the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main Street Medford, Wednesday 7- 9 and Thursday 4 – 8. Procession will gather Friday morning at the funeral home at 10 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial offered in St. Francis of Assisi Church, Fellsway West, at 11 AM. Interment will be private.
In Lieu of Flowers donations may be made in her memory to:
Diane Geehan Youth Running Fund, C/O Greater Lowell Road Runners
P.O. Box 1314, Lowell, MA 01852-1314