Dianna Lynn Mannisi (née Lewin) died on September 17, 2022, after a long battle with metastatic uterine cancer. She was born on May 11, 1954, to Maurice and Virginia Lewin (née Warner) in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the baby of the family, joining older sister Dorothy Arnold and big brother Maurice Lewin, Jr. She was raised attending Overland Baptist Church, and loved being a member of the choir and youth programs.

Dianna always loved school and learning. She attended Ritenour High School, graduating in 1972 with honors, despite losing her father while a sophomore and working odd jobs to help support the household. She was the first member of her family to graduate college, ultimately receiving a Masters in Special Education (University of Missouri - St. Louis and Trevecca Nazarene University).

Dianna met Joseph Mannisi, the love of her life, in 1978, and within a month of their meeting they were engaged. They married at All Souls Catholic Church in Overland, Missouri, on August 4, 1978, and would spend 38 years of marriage, life, and raising a family together before Joe's passing in 2016. The two were inseparable. Family was the most important thing to both of them.

Dianna taught in Washington, Missouri, and Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, but spent most of her career with the Collinsville School District (Illinois) as a special education teacher for over 30 years. Her passion and devotion to her students was profound and recognized, with many keeping in touch with her long after they had her as a teacher. She also cherished the friendships she made with her colleagues.

Her love, guidance, and unwavering patience as a mother, aunt, great aunt, and nona was second-to-none. We'll remember with fondness her intelligence, love of music, voracious appetite for books, sense of adventure, and as a devoted Cardinals fan. She loved to travel. As a teen, she hiked and rode a pack mule through the Grand Canyon. Dianna and Joe spent their honeymoon and first anniversary in Jamaica, and had the greatest stories about those trips. She always talked fondly about her trip to Australia, swimming in the Great Barrier Reef, camping in the Outback, and holding koalas. She traveled throughout Northern Europe with her teenage daughter, especially loving her homestay in Denmark and visiting Notre-Dame. She followed that trip with one through Southern Europe with her son, giving her the opportunity to flex her Spanish-speaking skills. With her last big trip, Dianna helped realize Joe's dream of visiting Italy, spending time in Rome and Vatican City. The two also took numerous car trips throughout the country in whichever fun new car they had at the time - the last of which was her Mini Cooper.

Dianna will be so greatly missed by her family - daughter Jessica Mannisi (Marcus Griffen), son Timothy Mannisi (Allison), her granddaughters Rosalie Mannisi and Lena Griffen, her fur baby Sophia and granddogs Dusty and Hyphen, and her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, all of whom both she and Joe loved like their own children and spoiled however they could.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that a donation be made in Dianna's honor to the American Cancer Society, Pathways Hospice and Palliative Care, Mercy Health Foundation, and/or Stray Rescue of St. Louis.

Visitation at the Ortmann Funeral Home, 9222 Lackland Rd., Overland, Thursday, September 29, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Then to All Souls Catholic Church, 9550 Tennyson Ave., Overland, MO 63114 for 11:00 a.m. Mass. Private interment.