Diane Linda Allen

Diane Linda Allen would like everyone she ever touched in life, of which there are many, to know that her work here is done. At the young age of 62, having just retired, Diane recently received a call, a sort of offer you can't refuse. So she laughed one last time with her soulmate, and then left for a new teaching position from which she will not be returning. This teaching assignment comes with a huge sign-on bonus, a reunion with family and friends that she hadn't seen in a long time.

Diane, who was an incredibly gifted professor of math, a wife and mother extraordinaire, and lover of life, embodied the candle that burns twice as brightly but burns half as long. Not many were able to embrace life as fully and joyfully as Diane or touched as many people of every stripe. Diane's motto, as an outstanding professor of math, was" I can teach math to anyone!" She loved her work and it showed in everything that she did. She touched so many lives that we can't even begin to count the numbers and the impact. She was a wonderful mentor, an outstanding role model for educators and for every person she ever met. Diane, alongside

Paul, her soulmate of 44 years, lived a full and rich life together. Their time together, side by side, was a love story of the ages. Every single person who was lucky enough to meet them was incredibly touched by their deep, passionate love for each other. Their life was filled with laughter and loving moments every single day along with their son, Cody, of whom she was incredibly proud of. She was an amazing mother and a college professor who treated all her students as family.

Diane was a woman who personified intelligence, perseverance and kindness. She was an educator and a communicator. She brought passion and authenticity to every moment of her life. She embraced life and saw every moment as a chance to learn. Diane was as feisty as she was gentle, as forthright as she was tactful, and as full of wonder as she was of wisdom. Her loyalty was fierce and her laughter infectious. She will be missed.

Diane is survived by her loving husband Paul Allen, son Cody Allen and her brother Ronald Bowden.

Diane was preceded in death by her father, Harry Ralph "Buddy" Bowden and mother, Alondarae Marie Gaillard Bowden.

As an expression of sympathy, because Diane was a firm believer in education, in lieu of flowers, the family sincerely requests that you take a moment to reach out and share your knowledge and experience with another.

P.S. Paul plans to attend his first spelling bee in her honor.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.

A potluck memorial service will be held:

Wednesday January 14th, 2015 at 6pm.

Idaho State University, 3rd floor of the RFC Building.

A formal memorial service will be taking place:

Saturday February 7th, 2015 at 1 PM

Hoffman Funeral Homes

643 Main Street

Leesburg, NJ 08327