LAYNE, Diana Francis

Published in Today's News Herald on Sept. 12, 2018 - Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Diana Francis Layne, 94, reached the end of her earthly pilgrimage on Aug. 30, 2018 at her home in Lake Havasu City. Diana was a first-generation American born Aug. 4, 1924 to Joseph and Ida Gaglio in St. Louis. On April 29, 1944, Diana married Julius Price with whom she bore three children: Jerry, Linda and Joseph. In 1952, the family moved to Montebello, California. Diana worked for the infamous Helms Bakery in Montebello. She could be found there overfilling cream puffs and pies until Helms closed in 1969. On Sept. 12, 1969, Diana married the love of her life, a vacuum salesman named Harry (Bill, Big Dad) Layne. In addition to a garage filled with vacuums, Bill had two sons, Harry and Richard (Genell) who gained a mother. Diana had the idea for Bill to open a vacuum store and Montebello Vacuum Center emerged. Diana and Bill grew their business from a garage filled with vacuums to a statewide distributorship. Their success enabled them to travel the world. Diana was the epitome of an Italian woman. At her house, you weren't fat, you were healthy. That meant "Have more food!" Diana loved anybody and everybody unless they crossed her or her family. She was genuine and never minced words. Diana loved to play poker. If she wasn't playing in Vegas, she was at a poker party close to home. Diana almost always had a steaming cup of black coffee in one hand and a twirler in the other. Diana was truly amazing; she lived to be 94 but was only 29 years old. Diana is preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Ida Gaglio, husband Harry Layne, sons Richard Layne and Joseph Price (Travis), sisters Evelyn, Francis, Josephine and Mary, son-in-law Gary Pohlman and daughter-in-law Genell Layne. She is survived by her son Jerry Price (Jane), daughter Linda Pohlman (Gary), brothers Thomas Gaglio (Francis) and Joseph Gaglio, seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and her beloved dog Mikey Layne. A funeral mass is Saturday, Sept. 29 at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 13935 Telegraph Road, Whittier, California, 90604. A reception follows. Please make donations to Western Arizona Humane Society or Hospice of Havasu.
Posted by mhenderson on September 12, 2018

Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.