Diane Raphael
Born Diane Mary Mulcahy, on June 19th 1941, to Ann Danaher Mulcahy and Gerard Mulcahy. Diane had four brothers: Kenneth, William, Michael and Gerard.
Diane became a teacher with the NYC board of Education. She married John D. Raphael on December 1st 1973 and they had three daughters Deanna, Lauren and June. Her daughters were the greatest joy of her life and she was very proud of their accomplishments.
As a teacher Diane was often given the most difficult students and at the end of the school year their parents were always very thankful for how their children had progressed.
Diane’s ability to tell a funny story was unmatched and is one of the many things she is missed for. After retiring, Diane became very active in different societies in her town of Rockville Centre, Long Island. She and her husband had been very active with the Saint Agnes Cathedral Gaelic Society since it’s inception. She joined the Fortnightly club; the Nassau Woman’s club, volunteered at the St. Agnes outreach every Friday and she would meet with a group of women for breakfast. Diane and John were in a bridge group and book discussion group for over twenty years. Her most satisfying group was the St. Agnes Prayer Group. Diane always kept in touch with her childhood friends from Brooklyn. She was with her husband and old gang, who were meeting for their annual “get together” in Avalon, New Jersey, when Diane had a brain aneurysm. Her death was very sudden and completely unexpected. She had been in great health and was even more beautiful than the day she got married.
When approached at the hospital and asked if we wished to donate some of Diane’s organs, our family decided to donate her kidneys, liver, heart and cornea. She was able to give in her passing as she had during her life.
Diane Raphael died on June 10th, 2007, may she rest in peace.