Diane Carole Gordon, 91, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at Pruitt Healthcare in Buford, GA. She was born December 11, 1934, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She grew up in Readlyn, Iowa alongside her identical twin Doris Mae Buenzow. Diane never met a stranger and greeted everyone with her vivacious personality and beautiful smile! The twins were very active in high school with basketball and cheerleading. Growing up with music, singing, dancing at an early age, they loved talent competition and singing in church.

Diane married in 1956. and raised 3 children while living in Iowa and Nebraska. In 1971 the family moved to Atlanta (Stone Mountain), where her love of decorating and entertaining was always evident in their home. Diane also continued pursuing her passion for music by performing in local playhouse productions and singing in choirs.

A devoted “Gram” she welcomed 2 grandsons with immense love! Participating in their sports, activities and school functions became the highlight of her life. After retirement from the travel business where she was leasing villas in the Caribbean, she was found working at many area grocery stores, offering the sample of the day, greeting each customer with her warm, outgoing personality.

Diane was predeceased by daughter Janaan Lee Newell (1977), grandson Matthew Fitzgerald (2010); and sister Doris Mae Buenzow (2019). She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Newell Fenton and son-in law Thomas Fenton, son Jerome Charles Newell, grandson Clint Thomas Fenton, and nieces Nancy Kruse (Ken) from Kansas City and Lori Widish in Lake Mills, WI

Service will be held at Ingram Funeral Home in Cumming, GA on Saturday, February 21. Visitation is at 10:00am with the service at 11:00am in the funeral home Chapel. Graveside will be immediately following at Sawnee View Memorial Gardens in Cumming.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hero Dog Rescue, (heroresuce.org) an organization she cared deeply about.