Diane Justine Dugas

Diane Justine Dugas, 81, of Plymouth, Michigan, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2025 surrounded by her family. Diane was born on June 17, 1944 to the late Frank and Elizabeth Saims in Detroit, Michigan. Diane was the oldest of four children and attended St. Brigid Catholic Grade School and Immaculata High School. In 1966, she graduated from the University of Detroit with a Bachelor of Arts in History and English. During that time, she met the love of her life, Milton G. Dugas, Jr. On October 1, 1966, Milt and Diane were united in marriage. They recently celebrated 59 years of marriage. Together, they built a loving family and raised four children: Angela (the late Brian) Hill, Dr. Brian (Stacey) Dugas, Nicole (Matthew) Memmer, and Natalie (Charles) Patanis. In addition to her children, Diane is survived by the most important people in the world to her, her thirteen grandchildren: Alexandria, Allyson, and Vincent Hill; Isabella, Alexander, Sophia, and Jack Dugas; Hannah, Andrew, and Elizabeth Memmer; and Olivia, Adrianna, and Joseph Patanis. Diane was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. When her children were young, she was actively involved in their schools, from being a Sunday school teacher and a computer helper at Our Lady of Good Counsel School, to being an active member of the Mothers’ Clubs at both Ladywood and Catholic Central High Schools. She was an avid sports mom and later grandmother, best known for her chants of “Get the ball!” and “Take it away!” at many basketball games over the years. Diane was very sociable. She never missed an opportunity to gather with her large extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. whom she loved dearly. She also enjoyed telling and listening to good jokes, playing board games (especially Sorry! and Scrabble with her grandkids), getting together with her pinochle, bridge, and bunco groups, and spending afternoons with her beloved CC Mom’s group that has been meeting for nearly 40 years. Diane was the true matriarch of the “Dugas Clan” and the keeper of family traditions. She was especially proud of her Polish heritage. She took Paczki orders from her family every Fat Tuesday and stood in long lines to fulfill them. She also taught her grandchildren to love pierogi and fresh kielbasa, and she enjoyed listening and dancing to polka music until the very end. When her frail body could barely move, the “Clarinet Polka” and the “Hokey Pokey” never failed to get a reaction from her head and shoulders. Her favorite family memories included annual trips to Bronner‘s Christmas Wonderland, 4th of July parades up north, jumping the waves in Lake Michigan, and especially cooking and baking for her children and grandchildren. Whether it was making waffles for her grandchildren while at “Grandma’s Beach House,” or hosting family parties in her basement in South Lyon, nothing brought her more joy than the chaos of being surrounded by family. Diane hosted Christmas Eve “Wigilia” for over fifty years, which was most certainly her favorite day of the year. Diane spent her final six months under the gentle care of her loving aides, Veronica and Emma, at an adult foster care home in Livonia. Diane loved them both dearly, and she will forever be their “angel.” While Alzheimer’s may have robbed Diane of her memories, it never took away her kindness, gratitude, and ability to love. Diane is predeceased in death by her son-in-law, Brian Vincent Hill, who fittingly called her “Lady Di.” Diane is also survived by her siblings: Frederick (Patricia) Saims, Gregory (Patricia) Saims and Marceline (Andrew) Schneider, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 23 from 3 PM until 8 PM at Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home, 46401 Ann Arbor Road West (Between Sheldon and Beck at McClumpha) Plymouth. A rosary service will be held at 7 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 24 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 47650 North Territorial Road, at the corner of North Territorial and Beck Road. She will lie in state starting at 10AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for remembrances to be made in the form of contributions to the New Mary Grotto Project at Detroit Catholic Central High School or PB&J Ministries at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. To share a message, please use the Share a Memory tab on this webpage.

Diane Justine Dugas

June 17, 1944 - October 20, 2025