Obituary of Diane Elaine Monts

Diane Elaine Monts, also known as “Hertstein,” “Dee,” “Di,” and “Mrs. Headlight,” passed away suddenly in the early hours of March 21, 2019.  She is missed beyond expression by her daughter Stacy McMillan (Matt), her son Steve Hertstein (Amber), her grandchildren Maddy, Seamus, Jackson and Bella, her brother Don Estes (Ellen) and their girls, and not least of all, her beloved Mollie.

 

Diane learned early how to make new friends.  Dayton, OH; Boston, MA;  Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia; Montgomery, AL; Schertz, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Norman, OK; were some of the places she called home. 

 

She married Willie Hertstein in 1965, had Stacy, and they moved to California.  They settled in Concord, and Steve came along.

 

Diane spent many years raising Stacy and Steve as a single mom.   Diane and Willie had divorced but remained friends.  Diane, Stacy, and Steve were a tight team, surrounded by friends, family, and fun.  Some highlights of life with Di were the time she went out for a vacuum and came home with an orange Mustang; the time she drove an RV to the 1984 Olympics in LA; the time Diane, Stacy, and Steve went to Europe and made friends from Grenoble to Munich to Venice.  

 

Diane was an escrow officer/manager working with her beloved crew at Founders Title Company.  

 

Her marvelous sense of humor served her well throughout her life.   In 1991, she married Bob Monts and the good times got even better.  Together they enjoyed many parties with friends from the House of Lui, and had fun across the country, attending the Kentucky Derby and partying on the float at the Rio.   

 

After Bob’s passing, Diane moved to Santa Cruz, found a best friend in Susan Quintana, and set out to become an artist.  She lived in San Miguel de Allende, MX, for a few months to learn Spanish and art.  She bought more than her share of brushes and paint, and became the social coordinator of her “art friends” group, planning many lunches at Johnny’s Harborside.

 

She was known as “Grandma Di” and “Mimi” to her four grandkids, and she spent time with them watching and singing to musicals, playing board games, and making cookies and fried chicken with them.  

 

Diane is predeceased by her husband, Robert E. Monts, her parents, Dorothy and Don Estes, dear friends Anne Fouts, Peggy Soper and Diana L’Amoreaux,  her first husband Willie Hertstein, and her dear Aunt ‘Nette and Will Olsen; they must really be having a party up there.

 

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the SPCA; Diane and Mollie were so lucky to find each other.  In honor of Diane, please say hello to the person next to you in line at the grocery, have an Old-Fashioned, go out to breakfast, see a movie, and never let the parade pass you by.  A celebration of Diane will be held in Santa Cruz.

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