Beloved wife, mother, longtime Claremont resident

“Three-three-thirty-three” was an easy answer for Diane Deno to questions of when she was born for all of her 86 years. She died peacefully in her sleep in hospice in San Dimas on November 22.

Diane was born in Spokane, Washington, where her father Andrew and mother Rene added two brothers, Skip and Phil, and sisters Joan and Linda to complete the Samuels family.

There were many children in the area to play with. One, Tommy Deno, was an early playmate. They continued as friends and began “going steady” in high school, got engaged, and were married in 1953.

They newlyweds moved to California in 1960, where Mr. Deno worked for General Dynamics and she cared for their three children, Kevin, Brian and Susan.

“Yes, we are considering a tombstone with just a ‘3-3-33’ on it, but not too seriously, ” the family shared.

Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, December 13 at Todd Memorial Chapel, 325 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont.