Diane Maria Kardash was born Diane Maria Pannunzio on February 28, 1942, to parents Dominick and Regina Pannunzio in Taylor Borough of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Dupont, Pennsylvania, and graduated from high school in 1958. Growing up, she was close to her cousins and neighbors, and they lovingly called each other the Dupont "gang." The gang stayed close over the years, celebrating many reunions and writing to each other as frequently as possible. After graduating high school at 16 years old, she was the first person in her family to attend college and fly on a plane. She attended the County College of Morris in New Jersey and graduated with a B.A. in nursing. Diane's younger brother, Dominick P. Pannunzio, who predeceased her, followed in her academic footsteps and went on to be a history teacher and later a lawyer. Diane met her husband, William Kardash, Sr., at her cousin's house in Linden, New Jersey in 1960. They dated for two years and were married on June 9, 1962. Their first child, William J. Kardash, Jr., was born on February 24, 1963, and their second child, Joseph G. Kardash, was born on May 17, 1965. While Diane was pregnant with her first son, her mother, Regina, was pregnant with Diane's younger sister, Maryann (Pannunzio) Shea. In addition to her husband, Diane always considered her mother and her sister her best friends in life until her mother's passing in 2001. In 1979, the family moved to Brandon, Florida, where they welcomed their third child, Regina A. Kardash, on November 14, 1981. Diane was a dedicated and faithful mother who set an example for her children of loving, caring, kindness, and hospitality. She thrived on family and her faithfulness to God in all things. Throughout her daughter's childhood, she was an active member of Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, Florida, where her daughter attended school. She participated in the charismatic prayer group, Salesian Council, the Women's Guild, and the St. Micheal's Defenders Small Christian Communities as part of the program established by former pastor Fr. Lara at Nativity. Diane also established and hosted multiple seminars on Healing the Family Tree which focused on intergenerational healing of trauma and sin through the Eucharist, and was one of the founding members of the Eucharist Apostles of Divine Mercy. Diane also participated in Fr. Julio Rivera's Cenacle, hosted at St. John Vianney on St. Pete Beach during Fr. Julio's tenure there. Diane traveled the world to share God's love with others and share her devotion to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her travels included religious pilgrimages to places like Mont St. Micheal and Lordes in France, Fatima in the former Yugoslavia, Maracaibo and Betania en Venezuela, multiple trips to the Holy Land, Tanzania, and China. In addition, Diane hosted countless priests, bishops, cardinals, and monsignors from around the world in the family homes in both Brandon and Indian Shores, Florida. She had more masses said in her homes than most people attend in a lifetime, and even had a sacristy set with a family chalice available for visiting priests. In addition to her church activities, Diane enjoyed playing bunco with the ladies in the neighborhood where the family has lived since 1979, baking and cooking Italian food for her family and guests, and playing pinochle with her friends. Toward the end of her life she suffered from physical limitations which left her homebound for the past three years. On June 20, 2024, she went to the emergency room and was admitted to Tampa General Hospital. After two surgeries, she was discharged to a rehabilitation center in Brandon, Florida, where she died on July 19, 2024, following an unrelated cardiac event. Diane is survived by her husband, three children, and grandchild, Archer Dominick, as well as her sister, Maryann Shea, and her family, husband Vincent Shea, and their children, Dimitri, Vince Jr., and Dominique.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:30 A.M. Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at Nativity Catholic Church, 705 E. Brandon Blvd., Brandon, FL 33511 with Fr. M. Owens and Fr. Julio Rivero, Celebrants. There will be a reception in Social Hall, Room D, starting at 9:30 A.M. with a Rosary at 11:00 A.M. Inurnment will follow at 1:00 P.M. at Hillsboro Memorial Cemetery, 2323 W Brandon Blvd., Brandon, FL 33511. Donations to Nativity Catholic School can be made in her honor as follows: All checks should be made payable to Nativity Catholic School and be mailed to the church office, Attn: Kathy Damico. In the memo line, please indicate in memory of Diane Kardash.
Previous Events
Reception
7
Aug
705 East Brandon Blvd.
Brandon, FL 33511
Social Hall, Room D
Rosary
7
Aug
705 East Brandon Blvd.
Brandon, FL 33511
Funeral Mass
7
Aug
705 East Brandon Blvd.
Brandon, FL 33511
Graveside
7
Aug
2323 West Brandon Blvd.
Brandon, FL 33511
