Diane Sullivan Provenzano

Romans 12: 9-13: 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Diane Mary Sullivan Provenzano, 60, passed away Monday, September 5, 2016 at the Tennova Healthcare-Regional Jackson after a long battle with Scleroderma. Born in Connecticut to Frank Hughes and Rose Marie Bianchi on November 1, 1955. Diane was a beloved daughter, curious and kind. At age 4, she announced that she would be a nurse and that would be her greatest life gift to the world. She worked diligently, strongly and had an enormous sense of empathy for her patients and their families. She worked in varied situations from nursing homes to hospitals to prisons, and no job was ever too much for her. Early in her career, she mostly enjoyed caring for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's. She provided innovative care, building the men special puzzles to use with their hands and giving away many doll “babies” so her female patients would have someone to care for. She was greatly respected by those who worked with her, and she had a strong sense of ethics, order, and professionalism. Later in her career, she enjoyed working in a prison, caring for them first as people, not as inmates. She garnered enormous respect from the inmates and coworkers. Diane was a caring mother, encouraging her children Adrienne and David constantly. She never failed to tell them that they were the best thing she had done in her life. Diane was a source of constant comfort, advice and love. She was a wonderful storyteller, she loved talking about her Italian and Irish background, family, memories, and telling jokes. She was a loving grandmother to Rose, Adrienne’s daughter, they shared a strong and true connection. Diane skillfully sewed all of Rose’s special birthday dresses using vintage and unique patterns. Even when times were very difficult, she did everything in her power to see Rose often. They loved sharing secrets, making art and mostly just being together. She flew to see Rose a month ago, hiding the gravity of her progressing sickness, instead focusing on giving as much love and time as she could. Diane grew up in West Haven, Connecticut and always had a strong connection to the sea and lighthouses. She traveled to Europe, New Jersey and Texas, but finally settled in Tennessee, a place she truly felt was her home. She loved the people, pace, and lifestyle of Brownsville. Diane’s life was well-lived. She saw hope, laughed often and loved many. She was trusted, loved deeply by those who knew her, respected and she made an enormous differences in many lives. She has been called a Guardian Angel by many and a confidant by more. She didn’t judge those who were neglected by society, poor, unique or those with special needs. She lifted up those around her and she truly made a difference in the world. Diane lived a life of great faith and she is now at peace with the Lord. Diane was preceded in death by her father, Frances E. Hughes, her husbands, James E. Sullivan and Jimmy “Blue” Provenzano, Jr. She is survived by a daughter, Adrienne Hughes Barber(Russell) of San Jose, CA, a son, David Westman of Harpswell, ME, her mother, Rose Marie Bianchi of Phoenix, AZ, a brother, Michael F. Hughes of New York, and a granddaughter, Rose E. Barber. Graveside Services will be conducted Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 10 AM in the Oakwood Cemetery. Services under the direction of Lea & Simmons Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908 or Elma Ross Public Library, 1011 E. Main St., Brownsville, TN 38012 John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.