Obituary of Diane Virgil

Diane M. Virgil

Diane was born May 20, 1942, in Amityville, New York to William (Bunk) and Nancy Hunter. Her ancestry can be traced to the Hunter families which initially relocated to New York from North Carolina in the 1800s, the Montauk Tribe of Indians on Long Island and family roots from the British West Indies. She is predeceased by her mother and father, as well as her four brothers, William, Arthur, Wayne, and Donald. Diane and her four brothers grew up as a very close-knit family and they were surrounded by an extensive extended family throughout Amityville and the Long Island area. At an early age two of her brothers, while trying to call her “cutie” it came out as “Oodie” and a new nickname was born out of love.

Diane, often called “Di” “Diana” or “Oodie” married Bradley G. Devine (Punkin) in 1959. They initially rented from relatives on Devine Place in Amityville prior to the purchase of their first home at 56 North Ronald Drive, Amityville in 1965. They had four children, Bradley, Donna, Michael, and Carolyn. Bradley G (Punkin) preceded her in death due to injuries from an auto accident, in December 1981. For the next 4 to 5 years Diane focused her time on raising her two younger children to adulthood as her number one priority.

In 1986 Diane remarried to George Virgil. Although the marriage did not last permanently, they remained close friends throughout the remainder of her lifetime.

Diane attended and assisted from an early age at the Hicks Memorial United Christian Church on Coolidge Ave in Amityville which was pastored by Rev. Authur Hicks, one of her uncles. She maintained a lifelong relationship with God and with the church as it transitioned pastors over the decades and eventually Diane served as a church Deaconess and Trustee, under the pastorship of Rev. Rudolph Skinner.

The home on North Ronald Drive was known to multiple family members, family friends, and co-workers as a place where they would be welcomed, provided a temporary place of shelter, and treated as family during challenging times of life transitions. Diane was always one to readily assist and make sacrifices for anyone in need and she instilled this trait in her children.

Diane worked her entire adult life, until finally retiring in the early 2000s, at which time she took on the challenge of assisting with childcare responsibilities for some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, and friend, but also well known for not being one to tolerate too much nonsense.

Diane loved spending time with family, friends, and the church, in addition to a passion for ceramics. Her love of ceramics was focused on pieces tied to her Native American heritage and animals, of which elephants were one of her favorites. She maintained a significant collection of her work and often gave pieces as gifts.

In addition to her children, Diane is survived by her grandchildren, Jacquelyn, Tanesia, Danielle, Brad, Deja (deceased), Katiera, Deanna, David, Monet, Destiny, Dominique, and Davonte; great-grandchildren, Sydni, Kyjeir, Jaden, James (her coffee partner), D’Laila, Ah’mya, Moani, Storie and Nathaniel; a loving “cousin” Karen “Kay Kay” who grew up alongside Diane more as a sister to her and seen as an older “sister” by Brad, Donna, Michael and Carolyn; a loving sister-in-law Lois Hunter who Diane always regarded as a sister and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.