Diane Kvamme
  • Born on: December 2, 1934
  • Departed on: May 12, 2017
  • Resided in: Decorah, IA

Diane Kvamme

Diane Virginia Kvamme, 82, of Decorah, passed away peacefully at Aase Haugen Homes May 12, 2017. Memorial Service: 1:00 pm Friday, May 26, 2017 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah with visitation one hour prior to service.  

Diane was born December 2, 1934, in Virginia, MN, the daughter of Theodore and Dorothy (Johnson) Heger. She graduated from Ann Arbor High School in Ann Arbor, MI in 1952. She went on to attend the University of Michigan and received her B.A. in music in 1957, and elementary teaching certificate in 1958. She went on to Eastern Michigan University and received her M.A. in elementary education. Diane was an assistant at Trinity Lutheran in Ann Arbor from 1949 to 1960. She taught at Livonia Public Schools in Michigan from 1958 to 1969, with sabbatical leave to study early education in Europe. 

Diane was united in marriage to Kristen Hans Kvamme on June 28, 1969 in Ann Arbor, MI. To this union three children were born: Kulla Grace, Rolf Theodore, and Thea JoHanna. Kristen passed away in 2007.

She played the organ at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Livonia, MI and taught at Fraser Public Schools in Fraser, MI from 1969 to 1970. From 1971 to 1972, Diane was a teacher’s aide and substitute in St. Columbkille in Dubuque, IA. She then became a teacher there from 1972 to 1973. From 1975 to 1985, Diane was the organist at Shelly-Marsh River Lutheran Church in Shelly, MN. This is where she created "The Church Mouse", which was an article in the newsletter that she would write. From 1986 to 1999, she was the organist at Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah, IA; also writing a segment for their newsletter, "The Church Mouse". From 1999 to 2006, Diane was the organist at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, IA. She also was a subbing organist at Aase Haugen Homes, where she later resided.

Survivors include her three children, Kulla (Clare) Mincks of Decorah, IA, Rolf (Lucy) Kvamme of Scottsdale, AZ, and Thea (Kevin) Gerleman of Mabel, MN; twelve grandchildren; two great-grandsons; one brother, Ted (Avis) Heger of Holland, MI; one brother-in-law, John (Rosemary) Kvamme of Dearborne Heights, MI.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kristen; her parents; a brother-in-law, Ken Kvamme; and a sister-in-law, Elaine Jennings.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association for Alzheimer’s research.
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