GERLACH

DIANE L.

Age 80, of O'Hara Township, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

Born in San Francisco, CA, and raised in Marin County, Diane was a student at Redwood High School before attending the University of Colorado in Boulder. Affectionately known to most as "Lady Di," her travels led her to live in Phoenix, Mendoza, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Atlanta before settling in Pittsburgh, where she would make her home for over 50 years.

In Pittsburgh, Diane was a beloved friend to many and a well-known member of the community through her philanthropic work and countless hours of volunteering for the causes she held dear. Creative, compassionate, and fiercely loyal, she poured those gifts into bettering the lives of those around her. Among her many contributions, she helped organize the opening party for the Andy Warhol Museum, co-chaired the Holiday Tree Committee at the Carnegie Museum of Art for several years, and volunteered with organizations like The Bradley Center and events such as the Harvest Fair at the Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church.

Above all, Diane was devoted to her family. Her children and grandchildren were the great joy of her life, and she cherished every moment spent with them, from holidays and family gatherings to the quiet everyday moments that meant just as much. She showered them with love, encouragement, and the kind of unwavering support that helped shape them into who they are today. Being their mother and grandmother was her proudest role.

Diane had a remarkable gift for friendship. Wherever life took her, she cultivated deep, lifelong relationships, drawing people in with her warmth, her humor, and her genuine interest in their lives. She was well known for her elaborately themed dinner parties that brought her wide circle together around the table. To know Lady Di was to feel truly seen, and her circle of friends, spanning decades, cities, and continents, stands as testament to the love she so freely gave.

Her gardens were another of her great passions. Diane found deep happiness with her hands in the soil, designing and tending to beds that bloomed with color and care through every season. Her gardens reflected her spirit, vibrant, generous, and thoughtfully cultivated, and were a place where she welcomed family and friends to gather, linger, and feel at home.

She is survived by her loving sons, Kevin Chase (Courtney), Michael Chase (Jessica), and Jeffrey Gerlach (Heidi); her cherished grandchildren, Jackson Chase, Madison Chase, Lylia Chase, Reece Chase, Bryn Gerlach, and Holden Gerlach; and her dear siblings, Dante Bonfigli (Molly), Donna d'Terra, and Stephen Hartman.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, June 14, from 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., at the Fox Chapel Golf Club, 426 Fox Chapel Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15238. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be directed to Christopher's Haven, a home for kids when cancer hits home: www.christophershaven.org.

Funeral arrangements are by WEDDELL-AJAK FUNERAL HOME, Aspinwall.