Obituary of Diana Almeida

December 12, 2021

Diana Akel de Almeida was a loving and devoted wife, sister, aunt, and friend. She was born in the city of Guayaquil in Ecuador on July 9th, 1946 to her mother, Widad Kattan, and her father, Antoine Akel. Her husband and devoted companion is Roger Almeida.

Throughout her life, Diana was a generous, nurturing protector of her family, a warrior, and a self-made woman who supported her community and taught her loved ones the true meaning of hard work and tenacity—but always with kindness.

She loved her mother Widad profoundly and thought of her as her teammate, confidante, and friend, even years after she departed. She treasured and cherished her siblings and she considered her nieces and nephews as children of her own.

Diana was a staunch defender of honesty and fairness and valued the ideal of independence with individuality. She was renowned as a strong and opinionated woman who mastered the art of defining her stances while respecting the opinions of those around her—even when they were far from in total agreement.

As a true art lover, Diana believed that a wall without a painting hanging on it was a "naked waste of space." She loved the art she liked and made no apologies for it. Her goal was to have a house full of ornate antiques, and she spent hours with her husband driving to small towns around New York to fulfill that dream.

Diana enjoyed sweet wine, two-for-one margaritas, and fun lively places that she liked to christen with made up names, like deciding to call her favorite restaurant Pizza Uno as Pier 1. She was always funny without even trying.

Until the very end, Diana was surrounded by so much love from her family. She will be missed deeply.

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