Diane Virginia (Pierce) Longo

Diane Virginia (Pierce) Longo, age 70, of Dandridge, TN joined our Lord’s choir of angels Thursday morning November 5th, 2020. Following a valiant 12 year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Diane passed away peacefully at the Jefferson Park at Dandridge Skilled Nursing Home with her husband by her side. Diane was born to Edward and Virginia (Seaquist) Pierce on October 22, 1950 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, MN. Diane was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Richard “Pat” Pierce. She is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Frank Longo, her sons Adam and Alex, her sister Sharon Schwartz, her brothers Joseph, Edward and Daniel Pierce and her five grandchildren Liam, Lucia, Margaret, Olivia and Lucas. Diane lived a full and joyous life residing in Duluth, MN, Sylvania, OH, Macon, GA, Stafford, VA, Kingwood, TX and Charlottesville, VA before retiring to Dandridge, TN in 2005. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Toledo in 1973 following her secondary school years at Sylvania Northview High School in Ohio. After graduation she traveled abroad in Europe, putting her fluency in German to good use visiting Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Diane married Frank Longo on October 18, 1975 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sylvania, Ohio. Diane taught 5th grade at the Lady of Lourdes School in Toledo before moving her young family first to Macon, GA, Stafford, VA and then to Kingwood, TX. In Texas, Diane worked as a substitute teacher at Kingwood High School and Kingwood and Creekwood Middle Schools. She raised her two sons and managed the family household while her husband flew as a Captain and instructor pilot for Continental Airlines. Diane was well traveled, having visited countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Italy was a location she thoroughly enjoyed and visited on multiple occasions. She was a skilled craftswoman and exceptionally gifted with the design and construction of stained-glass creations she shared with her family. Diane also excelled in quilt making, woodworking and interior design. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Jefferson City, TN on Saturday, November 14th at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends can pay their respects Friday, November 13th from 12 to 5 p.m. at Farrar Funeral Home in Dandridge, TN. Praying of the Rosary at 3:45 followed by eulogies. In place of flowers, the family asks that you donate in Diane's name to the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) or Food for the Poor. Please visit http://karm.org/donate/ or https://www.foodforthepoor.org/