DIANE GERHARDT

Diane (Cowling) Gerhardt, age 82 of Neenah, WI, passed away peacefully on the evening of February 4^th, 2022. Diane was born July 24^th, 1939, in Hayward, WI to the late John and Clarice (Nyback) Cook. A couple of years later, in 1941, the family moved to Oshkosh, WI.

Following High School, she worked at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute as a typist until 1960 when she married Duane K. Cowling and became a farmer's wife. Together they had three sons – Ken, Duane, and Kurt Cowling. When her sons were in their teens, Diane returned to work at Winnebago Mental Health Institute as an administrator until her retirement in 1995.

Diane enjoyed her yard and all the things that came with caring for the lawn and flowers. Until a few years ago, you could often find her tooling around the yard on her riding mower. She took great joy in feeding and watching the multiple species of birds that would frequent her feeders. She took no joy, however, in the squirrels that would invade those feeders. She also greatly enjoyed connecting on the Pogo game site with a group of friends that had developed over the years. There they would play online games and share stories of life and family.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Don Cook and Bob Cook. She is survived by her sons, Ken Cowling, Duane (Rosie) Cowling and Kurt (Jodi) Cowling; three grandchildren, Nichole (Tom) Porter, Kendra Cowling, and Cooper Cowling; and three great grandchildren, Owen, Corbin, and Monroe Porter.

She is further survived by her brothers Bill, Jim, and Jerry Cook; along with stepbrothers John R. Cook and Greg Hartmann and stepsister Carynn Echemendia.

The family would like to thank the Theda-Clark and ThedaCare hospice staffs for the care and comfort they provided to Diane in her final days.

Per Diane's wishes, a funeral service will not be held.