Diane (Gould) McIlhinney

AUBURN – Diane McIlhinney, 83, of Windham, passed away peacefully on June 2, 2023 at Schooner Memory Care in Auburn. She was born on Jan. 2, 1940, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to Paul C. and Helen (Westervelt) Gould. After the death of her father in 1941, Diane moved to Forest Hills, N.Y. with her mother, Donald “best brother ever”, and aunt, Alma “Nan”.

She was a graduate of Forest Hills High School in 1957 and Claremont Secretarial School in 1958. Diane met her husband, John D. McIlhinney while accompanying her brother on a Hofstra College ski weekend at Mount Snow in Vermont. Being the gentleman that he was, John offered Diane his sweater after falling and splitting her pants on the slopes. They married on Oct. 15, 1960 at Westside Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, N.J.

Diane was employed with a law firm in Manhattan before moving to Maine with her husband and three children in 1969. Later, she held an executive secretarial position at Honeywell Bull in Portland. Throughout the years, Diane volunteered for a variety of organizations, Jr. Women’s Club in New Jersey, Senior College at the University of Southern Maine, and the Women’s Club at the North Windham United Congregational Church. Her many interests were, volleyball, water skiing, downhill skiing, interior design and gardening.

Diane was a dedicated wife and mother. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with her grandchildren. She had a kind heart, and vivacious and elegant personality that made people smile.

Surviving relatives include three loving children, John S. McIlhinney and his wife Kristy, Kristen Izzi and her husband Paul, and Susan M. Crane and her husband Troy; her grandchildren, Johnathan D. McIlhinney and his wife Lynsie, Daniel A. McIlhinney and his partner, Elizabeth Neff, Samantha Izzi and her fiance Matthew Schlee, Brian E. Crane and his wife Cadie, Emily A. Izzi, Amanda M. Izzi and Zachary M. Izzi. She has two great-grandchildren, Amelia L. and Hunter McIlhinney, and Baby Crane due in September.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 58 years, John D. McIlhinney; her brother Donald Gould; and both her parents.

A service will be held Saturday, June 17 at Dolby Blais Segee Funeral Home, 434 River Rd., Windham, at 10 a.m. with a burial to follow at Mayberry Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations

be made to the

Alzheimer’s Association.