Diane B. Vigilante, 88, died peacefully at home Oct. 12. Born in 1932 in Chicago, Diane was a child of the Great Depression and World War II. Her memories of the tough 30s included many relatives coming to Chicago seeking work. During the war, she kept a Victory Garden to help feed the family. Her parents, George Berg and Fannie (Jerina) Berg, moved west to Colorado Springs after the war where, after high school, Diane worked for Farmers Insurance as a secretary. She met her future husband, Frank, then in the Army, at a Camp Carson dance. Their marriage produced three children, Patricia, Frank and John.
Over the years they lived in Brooklyn, Berkeley, California, Piscataway, Naperville, Illinois, finally settling in Fair Haven in 1970. Diane worked for many years at VNA Health Group as a hospice volunteer, visiting patients who needed companionship.
Diane was an avid reader and traveler. She made many trips to Italy, Sicily, Spain and other European countries. Other trips were to Antarctica, New Guinea, the Galapagos Islands, Japan and South America, including a cruise down the Amazon. In the U.S., she and Frank spent a week rafting on the Colorado River and visited many states. They have belonged to the Shrewsbury River Yacht Club for many years. Their family hosted the crews of tall ships from Japan, Columbia, Italy, Indonesia and Germany during several Operation Sail events. They also supported a number of racehorses at Monmouth Park.
Diane was a very caring mother to her children and their spouses, Patricia and Robert, Frank and Nancy, and John and Penny. She adored her grandchildren, Abby, Hank, Rachel, Laura, Brooke, Steven, P.J. and Katie, and her great-grandchildren, Graham, Reid, Heidi and Hannah.
Visitation was held Oct. 17 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to VNAHG Hospice, 23 Main St., Holmdel, NJ 07733.
The article originally appeared in the October 22 – 28, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
