HOPE
After fighting a long battle against Emphysema, our wonderful, beautiful and one of a kind, Diana Gail White-Meeks of Hope, unfortunately succumbed to the disease at the young age of 59. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, at her home, surrounded by loved ones at 1:30 in the afternoon, Wednesday, February 15th, 2023.
Diana Gail was born in Columbus on the 24th of May, 1963 to John Keith and Carolyn Joyce Mantooth-White.
She was the third oldest of John and Carolyn’s four children. Like her siblings, Diana grew up in Hope, and attended Hauser Junior/Senior High School, and graduated in 1981. From the time Diana was a young girl, she absolutely loved to laugh and was naturally the “life of the party” anywhere she went! She had an infectious laugh that was instantly recognizable to anyone that knew her. Just hearing her laugh would instantly cheer up anyone that was around. Diana was all about fun. She never took life too seriously and lived her life to the fullest.
From a young child all the way through her adult life, she absolutely loved fashion, was very fashion savvy, and always took pride in her appearance! She had the ability to look fabulous in anything. When she saw an outfit she liked, she just had to have it in multiple sizes and colors, because as Diana would say, “Well, you just never know!” She also made sure she had a matching pair of shoes to go with each outfit, because, you just never know. She had an affection for music. She loved everyone from George Jones to The Rolling Stones, Elle King and many in between, but always had a thing for Tom Jones. Her car was never quiet. Wherever she happened to be going, Diana always had the radio turned up loud, singing along to her favorite songs.
Diana loved to decorate, and she never followed what was trendy or modern. She always decorated the way she wanted, and one of her many favorites was antique and retro furniture shopping, decorating and changing the theme of her home. She even had an Andy Griffith Show themed room. She looked forward to decorating for the holidays every year, going all out for each one, with Halloween being her favorite. She adored gathering with family, and loved choosing different games to play at Christmas time. Diana was a staple in her neighborhood during the time she lived in Texas, as she was always giving out candy and popsicles to the neighborhood kids.
While residing in New Mexico, she gave birth to her only child, her son, Allen Wayne Brodie, born on the 3rd of July 1985 to her first husband, Douglas Wayne Brodie. She remarried in 1999 to her husband of twenty two years, Tommy L. Meeks Sr., whom she loved deeply until his passing in October of 2021. Diana absolutely loved being a grandmother, and was proud of being called Nana Diana. She loved to spoil her grandkids, her nieces and nephews. Everyone of them loved Diana with all their hearts, and she held a special connection and bond with each one of them. She was as active in all of their lives as much as she could be and always looked forward to visiting and spending time with them. She stated that one of her most exciting moments was the birth of her grandson, Waylon, who was born in March of 2017. Diana loved with all of her heart, and she is going to be extremely missed. She was a very unique, and special person. Diana was a beacon of light for her family, and her heart and capacity for love far exceeded her tiny stature.
Diana was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy L. Meeks Sr.; parents, John K. and Carolyn J. White; grandparents Louie and Naomi White and Willard and Beatrice Mantooth; and her nephew, Heath Wesley Parker.
She is survived by her son Allen Wayne Brodie (Jennifer Brodie); her step-son Tommy L. Meeks Jr.; her step-daughter Valeri Meeks; grandchildren Waylon, Brooklyn, Emersyn, Lauren Cox (Hunter), and Samantha Dunn (Tanner); great-grandchildren, Tallen, Kylen and Brayklie. She is also survived by her siblings, Connie Parker (John), Becki Ashbrook (Alan) and her brother John Kenneth White. Her surviving nieces and nephews include Jeremy Gilliand, Austin Ashbrook, Valerie Thompson (Don), Alison Ashbrook (Hayden), Coco Adkins (Ryan), Nicholas and Sydney White, Carolyn ‘Shug’ Thompson, and Cecilia Lauster.
A Celebration of Diana’s life will take place at a later date, in the spring or summer. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Student’s Fund of Hope or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Online condolences may be expressed to Diana’s family at www.normanfuneralhome.net.
