Diana Simons

Diana May Simons, 72, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, passed away on September 2, 2026. Though she made her home in Glen Carbon in recent years, Diana spent most of her life in Clinton, Connecticut, a community she loved and one that was undoubtedly better because she was part of it.

Born on May 23, 1954, Diana was the daughter of the late Dolores and Gabe Tedeschi. She was a devoted mother to her two children, Garrett Sopko and Allynn Simons, and sister to Garda, Glenna, Daria, Delasandra, and Gordon.

Diana was a force of nature—creative, determined, generous with her time, and rarely content to simply sit on the sidelines.

She devoted more than two decades of her life to a career in distribution, beginning as a secretary and, through hard work, determination, and natural leadership, eventually working her way up to running the entire building. It was an accomplishment that spoke perfectly to who Diana was: if there was something to be done, she didn’t wait for someone else to do it. She figured it out, rolled up her sleeves, and made it happen.

That same spirit made Diana a pillar of the Clinton community.

She founded the cheerleading program for the Clinton Touchdown Club, and under her leadership, within just five years the cheerleading program grew to out-enroll the football program itself. She later served as president of the Clinton Touchdown Club and coached cheerleading at The Morgan School, leaving her mark on generations of young people and families.

And when her daughter entered the world of competitive dance, Diana became what so many knew her as: everybody’s dance mom. She showed up, helped out, cheered loudly, and made sure everyone felt like they had someone in their corner.

Diana was extraordinarily creative. Give her some cardboard, ribbon, and an idea, and somehow she could turn it into something beautiful. She loved losing herself in a good book and had the kind of imagination that seemed to find possibilities everywhere.

But perhaps one of the things those who loved Diana will miss most is her laugh.

It was loud, unmistakable, and completely infectious—the kind of belly laugh that filled a room and made everyone else start laughing, too. Her family knew it so well that when Diana was on the phone, they could practically count down the seconds until another one came bursting out.

That laugh was Diana: big, joyful, impossible to ignore, and impossible to forget.

She leaves behind her children, Garrett Sopko and Allynn Simons; her siblings, Garda, Glenna, Daria, Delasandra, and Gordon; along with the many relatives, friends, teammates, cheerleaders, dancers, coworkers, and members of the communities whose lives she touched along the way.

Diana built things. She built a career. She built programs. She built community. She made beautiful things with her hands, and she created memories for the people around her. Most importantly, she built a life filled with people who loved her.

Her laugh may no longer fill the room every five seconds, but for those who knew and loved her, it will be impossible not to hear it whenever they think of Diana.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Diana’s home, 3411 Maryville Road, Granite City, Illinois, on Saturday, September 12, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories, and celebrate the remarkable woman Diana was.