Columbus, OH — Diane M. Stevenson, 80, of Hartly, Del., died Jan. 22, 2023, at her home.
She was born April 22, 1942, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, the daughter of Arthur and Doris Davies. She graduated from Simonds High School in Saint John.
She charted her first harness race in Saint John at age 16, and worked as a program director for harness racing from Prince Edward Island to Pompano in Florida and all up and down the East Coast and in between. Spending 18 years in New Jersey at The Meadowlands, she retired after 62 years of charting at age 78 at Rosecroft Raceway in 2018.
She first and foremost loved spending time with her children, Michael, Gloria and Janet. They were her world. She also loved her beloved grandchildren, Steven, Brittany, Eric, Mariah and Haley; great-grandchildren, Ava, Emma, Gwen, Max, Haylee, and Maverick; and not to be forgotten, her puppy grandchild Hunter.
She enjoyed cooking and baking. She was known everywhere for her chocolate chip cookies. She also enjoyed knitting, word searches, and fishing and was an avid Boston Bruins fan and loved the Patriots.
She was known as “Mum” to so many in the harness racing community and beyond. She touched many lives throughout her career that were still in her life until her passing. She was always smiling and her laugh was contagious. She was loved by many.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Doris Davies; brother, David Davies; and twin brother, John Davies. She is survived by her children, Michael (Mary Ellen), Gloria and Janet (Eddie Jr.) Davis; grandchildren, Steven (Nicole) Nason, Brittany Davis, Eric Davis (Jenny Petrelli), Mariah and Haley Harrison; Joanne and Chris Davies, Bettina and Robert McNeil, nieces and nephews, to name a few; and many family members and friends she considered family in Canada.
The family would like to offer a sincere thank you to those that helped Mum with her care, including Jasmin from Delaware Hospice and to Suzanne Keeler for her love and support.
A celebration of Diane’s life will be held on Monday (Feb. 6) from 12-5 p.m. at the Marydel Firehouse, located at 110 Firehouse Lane in Marydel, Del. Time to share memories of Diane will begin at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Harness Horse Youth Foundation, 2711 Friar Tuck Road, Anderson, IN 46013.