Copyright keenesentinel
Diana “Diane” Holt Moran, 82, of Roanoke, Va., beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, surrounded by family. Born Diana Gail Holt on June 6, 1943, in Keene, Diane was the daughter of Grant B. Holt and Priscilla (Rodgers) Holt and older sister to Donna (Holt) Cunningham. She grew up in Keene and graduated from Keene High School in 1961. Diane was the loving mother to three children, Robert “Shawn” Stephens of Brentwood, Shelley (Stephens) Mahlert of Huddleston, Va., and Phillip Stephens of Nashua. Diane worked at AT&T/Bell Labs in North Andover, Mass., as a graphic designer and administrative assistant for most of her career. There she met David “Ed” Moran. They married in 1976 and settled in Newton. As a child Diane was introduced to sailing by her father, and rekindled her love for boating with Ed later in life. They became avid sailors on their vessels, first “Wind Song” and then “Second Wind,” enjoying the Eastern Seaboard with Diane as the navigator. She was well known to hit her markers in the thickest Maine fog, without electronics, dead reckoning all the way. She was blessed with early retirement and went all in on the boating scene, selling everything and purchasing a troller, the “Diana Gail,” to live on and travel. Her fondest remembrance was the “Great Loop” trip, a continuous waterway that includes part of the Atlantic, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Great Lakes, Canadian Heritage Canals and inland rivers of America’s Heartland including the Mississippi. She loved to tell the stories of her encounters with the people, cultures and lasting friendships made along the way. Before settling in North Port, Fla., Diane and Ed took one last trip in an RV across the U.S. and Canada to Alaska. She was in awe of the beautiful wildlife and resourcefulness of the people. Diane lived in the River Walk Community of North Port, Fla., for many years, where she had an abundance of friends. She enjoyed her bowling league and oversaw the shuffleboard club. She loved the Gulf Coast, collecting sea glass, shells and shark’s teeth, especially with loved ones. During her early years in North Port, she would summer at Three Ponds Camp Ground in Brentwood to be close to family. The campground provided a wonderful place to make cherished memories with her children and grandchildren. In 2024, Diane and Ed relocated to Roanoke, Va., where she could be cared for by her daughter, Shelley. Diane will forever be remembered for her love of water and adventure. She will also be remembered for her love of iced tea, a good Manhattan drink and the perfect lobster roll. In addition to her husband and children, Diane leaves behind her daughter-in-law, Bethel Stephens; her son-in-law, Brian Mahlert; her grandchildren, Nichole Houlne, Jennifer Regan, Maegan Frink, Shawn Stephens, Andrew Stephens, Luke Stephens and Robert “Joel” Stephens; her great-grandchildren, Zylah, Desmond and Isaac Lafontaine, and Nora Mae Frink, Vivian Shelto and Annie Regan. Diane also leaves behind her brothers, Jerry Holt (spouse Sharon) and Roland Holt; her sister, Julianne Wilkinson; her lifelong friend, Ann Saavedra; Ed’s children, Paula Cullen, Scott Moran and Kristen Porter, and their children and grandchildren. Diane requested to be cremated and buried at Tonry Cemetery in Brentwood. She did not wish to have services, just to be remembered for the good times spent with family and friends.
