Diana Nesbitt

On April 24th, 2021 at the age of 75, Diana Louise Nesbitt left this Earth and went to her eternal resting place. All who knew her can almost hear God shouting  “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come into your eternal rest.” Matthew 25:23,34

She was born in San Francisco, CA on July 24th, 1945 where she lived with her mother, Juanita Ballard until her passing in 1953. Their reunion in Heaven had to be the most beautiful and joyful sight for all the angels to see. She is survived by her husband, Sidney Nesbitt; her siblings Lane, Boni, Mark, and Jana. She married Sidney Mitchell Nesbitt on May 23rd, 1961 and they spent nearly 60 years building a life and a family together. They had 4 children, all who survive her:  Tresa, Wanda (Keith), Kevin (Dawna), and Christy (Robert). She is also survived by 9 grandchildren: Cole (Shannon), Ryan (Sarah), Amanda (Adam), Brooke (Ryan), Matthew, Adam, Tyler, Ethan and Rachel, and 7 great-grandchildren:  Gracelyn, Gabriel, Cameron, Harper, Jake, Lillabeth, and Ella. She loved her family with all her heart, and they were always spoken of in her prayers.

Diana dedicated 30 years of her life to the United States Postal Service where she made many friends and memories; she was a human resources supervisor at the time of her retirement. In her early years at the Post Office she was named Miss Zip Code. She really enjoyed the artwork of the stamps and we will always think of her when we see the Breast Cancer Research stamp. This is a reminder not only of her career but also of her own fight against breast cancer. One that she bravely continued to battle for over two decades; she was a true warrior and cancer survivor.

She loved nature and traveling to see the mountains, deserts, beaches, and state parks. For many years she traveled with her husband in their RV, exploring and finding the beauty in our land. She loved animals and especially bird watching. She would feed them outside her window, watch them swoop in to visit, and she knew their breeds and songs. But it was in the garden where her soul would shine brightest. She worked tirelessly tending to her garden and grew a variety of greenery and flowers around her home. She was a member of the Birmingham Daylily Society and her garden bloomed with hundreds of beautiful, colorful, and award-winning daylilies. Her talents and passions went way beyond the garden though. Her hands created so many cherished items over her lifetime from sewing clothes for her children, cross-stitching, crocheting, and quilting. For many years she was a member of the Birmingham Quilt Guild where she continued to share her talents. We are left behind with many items made out of talent, love, and hard work and they will be held near to our hearts always.

Above all, Diana was a devoted woman of God and she walked by faith throughout her life. She was a devout Catholic who embodied the love, compassion, and patience of our Lord and Savior. She was a founding member of the Birmingham Order of Carmelite Discalced Seculars for 40 years. She was a much-loved member of their community as she lived her vocation of prayer and serving others during this time. She will often be remembered sitting in her chair or in her prayer room with her bible open and in God's word. She loved many and prayed mightily for them all.

A mass will be held in her memory on Monday, May 3rd at 2 pm at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Bessemer, AL.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to The American Heart Society or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.