Diane I. Stegman

Diane I. Stegman, 89, of Neche, North Dakota, passed away Thursday, May 9, 2024 at the Pembilier Nursing Center in Walhalla. Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at the United Lutheran Church in Cavalier, North Dakota. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at United Lutheran Church. 

Diane I. Stegman was born September 25, 1934 in Walhalla, ND to Lawrence and Ivy (Davidson) Patterson. She grew up in Walhalla and graduated from Walhalla High School. After attending Jamestown College, she went to work at Boeing in Seattle, WA. On November 12, 1954, she married Melvin Stegman at the Presbyterian Church in Walhalla ND. They made their home on the family farm near Neche, ND where they raised their three children.

Diane’s faith and love for Jesus was so strong and important to her, she committed her life to being a faithful servant to Jesus, sharing her gifts and sharing them graciously. She was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church in Neche, where she shared her love and talent for music. Diane was the church organist/pianist and also sang in the choir for many years. She served and gave to her community in any way she could whether it was volunteering on the Quick Response, NEDCO, and Neche Housing, or acting in the Community Passion Play and accompanying high school musical groups for music competitions. Diane enjoyed participating in: WELCA, Red Hats, birthday club, & Bible study. Some of her favorite times were traveling with her husband and her trips with her sisters, grandchildren, and friends. She shared her gift for business when she and her sister Lou Ann Karel opened the Specialty Shop a women's clothing/gift store in Walhalla.

Diane had unconditional love and commitment to her family. Family was everything to her. Whether it was driving a beet truck, sitting with family at end of life, caring for her grandchildren on a whim's notice, taking her grandchildren on trips, taking her great-grandchildren to the park and sliding down slides with them, cooking countless meals, and most of all always being there with endless prayers.

Diane is survived by her children: Doug (Janet) Stegman of Cavalier, Greg (Marla) Stegman of Neche, and Julie (Brian) Hardy of Walhalla; grandchildren: Brian (Tanya) Stegman, Ian (Hannah) Stegman, Samantha (Nate) Simley, Nicole Safranski, Travis
(Holly) Stegman, Dustin (Karmen) Hardy; great-grandchildren: Sidney and Riley Stegman, Jaylynn and Liam Stegman, Raegan, Reese and Reggie Safranski, Drake and LaVelle Stegman, Wyatt Simley; sister: Patricia Heidmann, Mesa, Arizona. Brother-in-law, Jack Karel, Walhalla, Sisters-in-law: Janice Large, Mahnomen, MN, & Lois Otto, Hatton, ND.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, husband Melvin Stegman, daughter-in-law Denae Stegman, sisters: LouAnn Karel and Betty Johnson, sister-in-law Eileen Winkler, brothers in law: Fred Heidmann, Bert Johnson, George Winkler, Jim Otto, & Bruce Large.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Pembilier Nursing Center in Walhalla, ND, Christ Lutheran Cemetery in Neche, ND or the Hillside Cemetery in Walhalla, ND.