Obituary: Diane DeBiase

March 9, 1960 – April 10, 2025 
Diane DeBiase was born in Queens, NY on March 9, 1960 to Joseph and Mary DeBiase.

Diane was the one you wanted with you in the backcountry. She always had that energy bar she’d saved or some gear you swore you’d never need – like magic it appeared out of her pack.

10 years volunteering with Park County Search and Rescue, working as an EMT for Park County Ambulance service, and 20 years with National Ski patrol gave her knowledge and skills for almost every outdoor scenario.

She was an accomplished rock and ice climber, loved to kayak, tele ski and mountain bike. When she pulled out the map you knew you were in for an adventure.

Being a Veterinary tech it was no surprise that she loved animals. Two summers were spent volunteering for Peregrine Falcon Rescue and Release centers in Washington and Montana. She adopted many older dogs, rescued cats and even saved a guinea pig named “Jezebel”.

After a season working at Breckenridge Medical Center, Diane became an MRI technologist. During her career, she worked at Vail Valley Medical Center, Summit Medical Center and Gunnison Valley Hospital.

Family obligations took her back East, but she had always hoped to return and build something on her small piece of land.

Shortly after she retired from Radiology, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Diane said that she had done most of what she wanted to do in life, then added, “I don’t want forever, I just want a little more time”. Sadly, she passed just shy of a year after diagnosis, on April 10, 2025 at her home in Maine.

She requested no service; instead, asked to be placed with her animals. She leaves behind her partner of 25 years Jay McDonald, her dog Heinz and cat Winston; her mother Mary DeBiase, siblings Connie Newby and Joe DeBiase; extended family and many friends who will miss her light that shone so brightly.