Diane Day

Diane Lynne Day, age 56 of Ionia, IA died Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at her home after a brief battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton, with Rev. John Tunnicliff of the Republic Community Church, rural Ionia, presiding. Interment will be in St. Boniface Cemetery, Ionia, with Jack McDonough, Mike Wood, Brian Wood, Cory Folstad, Randy Taylor and Larry Kellogg serving as pallbearers. The Ionia Fire Department will serve as honorary pallbearers. Friends may greet the family 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to Derek Day, with future disbursement to the Alex Potratz Memorial Scholarship Class of 2016, the Ionia Fire Department and SNAP of Chickasaw County. Diane Lynne Day was born March 25, 1962, in Decorah, IA, the daughter of Raymond and Betty (Bakalar) Sorenson. She received her education in Decorah graduating with the Class of 1980. She went on to earn her associates degree in child development (early childhood) from Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar. She was married to Kevin Potratz of Nashua and to this union was born a son, Alexander Ray Potratz. The couple later divorced but remained friends and co-parents. On September 1, 2007, at their cabin near Ionia, she married Derek Day, who gave his love to Diane and Alex. Diane was the E.A.G.L.E. Program Coordinator for Chickasaw, Floyd and Mitchell Counties. She loved being creative in all aspects of her life, from crafts, flower gardening, and her E.A.G.L.E. Program. She was a friend to all who knew her. Diane has a special passion for children and loved to bring books to life during her programs. She also had a talent for writing grants and was instrumental in raising $160,000 in grant money toward the new Ionia Fire Station. Her dear son, Alex was taken to heaven on September 10, 2013, after a tragic auto accident. She spent the last five years of her life honoring and remembering his sweet soul. Diane and Alex had a passion for animals. She was a dedicated supporter of SNAP of Chickasaw County helping in all ways, including adopting Lila, one of her much loved dogs. She also stayed in close contact with Alex's classmates over the last 5 years, planning get-togethers every year and keeping his spirit alive. Diane was an angel on earth. Her own words were that she had a "foot in two worlds". Now she waits for her beloved Derek. "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Diane is survived by her husband, Derek of Ionia; two sisters, Linda (Marv) Folstad of Esper, IA and June Wood of Decorah, IA; brother, Wayne Sorenson of Stoddard, WI; six sisters-in-law, Terri (Wes) Wadey of Nashua, Carrie (Al) DeBerg, Angie (Randy) Dieken, all of Dike, IA, Jill (Mike Bentley) Tidman of Bondurant, IA, Kathy Day-Bobb of Sunnyvale, CA, Michelle (Steve) Bartling, Ackley, IA; brother-in-law, Jon (Angie) Day of Rockford, IA; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved son, Alex. Derek and Diane's family would like to express a sincere ‘Thank You’ to St. Croix Hospice for their wonderful care during Diane’s short illness.