Dianne Marie (Ancell) Johnston

January 21, 2021

Dianne Marie (Ancell) Johnston

Service Details

Dianne Marie (Ancell) Johnston, 71, of Des Moines, died peacefully at 6:32 AM, Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. She was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, on September 14, 1949, daughter to Eugene and Betty (Porter) Ancell.

Dianne was funny, loving, and fiercely loyal to her friends, family, and most of all her grandchildren… unless they were playing a game of "Dog House” against her. (As a side note; Mom’s lucky dice have not been found.)

Dianne’s friends say she was feisty and outspoken ALL the time. According to her family she was only feisty when awake.

Dianne loved to laugh and she saw every occasion as the perfect opportunity for a get together. Dianne was a social honey-bee; she loved to invite friends over for coffee, talk to friends on the phone and put puzzles together. She had fun going to garage sales every summer. She was always excited to have her granddaughters, Megan and Lilly stay the weekend with her.

Her natural generosity and desire to help those in need made working at Mercy Hospital a perfect match. She retired from Mercy with 20+years of service, and several lifelong friends with whom she stayed connected until the very end.

She is greatly missed by her daughters, Brenda (Chris) Johnston, Julie (Michael) Gooding; sons, Jeffery Johnston, Eric (Jennifer) Johnston; sister, Joanne Eakins; brothers, Charles Ancell, Richard Ancell, Don (Linda) Ancell; granddaughters, Alyssa Formaro, Brooke Robinson, Megan Johnston, Lilly Johnston; grandsons, Anthony Robinson, Mason Robinson, Justin Formaro, Michael Formaro, Cameron Johnston; four great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Dianne was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Dale Johnston; parents, Eugene and Betty Ancell; sister, Margaret Hartley; brothers, James Ancell, and Ted Ancell.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date due to COVID.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

… and because Mom was such an animal lover, all memorial contributions should be directed to the Animal Rescue League, in honor of Dianne.

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