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Diane Mentiplay - A Hastings identity
OBITUARY
Diane Louise Mentiplay
2 May 1939 – 30 November 2023
LONG time Hastings resident Diane Mentiplay passed away on 30 November 2023 following a long illness. She was 84.
Diane’s funeral was held at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Hastings on 12 December with Father Shymon Thekkekalathungal officiating. The eulogy was given by Diane’s sister, Susan Trist.
Diane Louise Youl was born on 2 May 1939, a few months before the onset of World War II. Although she was only quite young, Diane always retained vivid recollections of the war years.
The Youl family lived in a comfortable, three-bedroom home in Hampton and the parents ensured that the children had a sound education. They made their own fun: playing in the street, racing billycarts and climbing trees. Summer days were spent at the Brighton Beach Baths. Diane had fond memories of visits to her great aunt and uncle in Ararat where she fed the lambs and helped her relatives battle a mouse plague.
Diane attended St Mary’s School in Hampton and then Holy Redeemer Secondary School. She always wanted to do nursing and eventually did her training at the Mount Eliza Orthopaedic Centre which was part of the Royal Children’s Hospital. The years between school and nursing training were filled by work at a clothing factory in Flinders Lane, the Nestlé factory (where there was an abundant supply of chocolates for the family), and some time as a dental nurse.
It was while Diane was nursing that she met her husband, Doug Mentiplay. They married on 8 October 1966 and, after a honeymoon in Queensland, moved into their new house in McCallum Street, Hastings.
Diane became a homemaker; Louise was born in 1967 and Andrew in 1969. She did voluntary work as a Pink Lady at the local hospital in Hastings, always displaying great empathy towards older people. As a devout Catholic, Diane worked assiduously for the church. She and Doug were also active members of the Hastings-Western Port Historical Society, Hastings Fire Brigade, Hastings Seniors, the 1066 Club, and the Hastings Junior Football Club.
Following Diane’s funeral service, interment took place at the Tyabb cemetery, Hastings. She was the devoted wife of Doug for 57 years, loving mother of Louise and Andrew and mother-in-law of Chris and Anne, adored grandmother of Ben, Jacinta, Chris, Emily, Chloe and Thomas and great grandmother of Ieesha, Ella, Diane, Tyrone, Tamsin, Felisha and McKennah. She was also the loved sister of Barry and Susan.
