November 21, 1953 – March 19, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of a remarkable woman, Diane Reynolds. She finally succumbed to the horrible disease of cancer after putting up a courageous and valiant fight for over 4 years. Diane was a devoted daughter to Ray and Ruth Cox, a cherished and supportive wife of Gavin Francis. Loving mother of Kelly Palermo(Chuck), Karyn McClure(John) and Taylor Francis(Kate) and an extremely doting and protective grandmother to her grandchildren Brayson, Jordyn and Lorelai. From an early age her parents instilled in her a strong work ethic. This was clearly demonstrated on her summers working on the family farm in Nanticoke. Diane also had a passion to help people and began this calling while in her teens as a volunteer “candy striper” at the Queensway Hospital in Etobicoke. This vocation eventually developed into a lengthy and admirable nursing career which lasted 47 years at the Mississauga General Hospital, where she spent 44 years in the Emergency Department with the last 38 years as a charge nurse. But working in this chaotic and hectic environment and helping people with their physical injuries and trauma was not enough. So in addition to working in the Emergency Department she recruited a special group of nurses called the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners who were specifically trained to care for the special needs of survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Diane was also a visionary. She realized that these survivors deserved a special place to be cared for, away from the hectic and sterile environment of the Emergency Department. So in 1998 she created and raised the funds to build Chantel’s Place, a private, secure area in the hospital that provides a supportive atmosphere for survivors of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. Diane was also a part time flight nurse, providing critical care to patients during air medical transport back to their home country of Canada. As well, in her “leisure” time she worked as a cruise ship nurse which enabled her and Gavin to travel throughout the world. On her days off Diane enjoyed gardening and caring for the family property with her dad and her children at Peacock Point. It was her haven away from the hecticness of the hospital and the congestion of the city. She loved the Peacock Point community and volunteered at the many events and sold 50/50 tickets with her mom by her side. She became a member on the Peacock Point Cottage Owners Association, holding various positions and eventually retiring as the president. Diane’s greatest joy was her grandkids. She loved sitting on the back deck and watching them kibitzing on the Cox property. She enjoyed playing bingo with her mom and the kids in the community hall while munching on 5 cent candy treats purchased at the same store she worked in as a teenager during her summers at the Point. Many of her days ended with a walk to the Peacock Point store with her grandkids and her beloved dog Ben, for an ice cream, some giggles and maybe watching them have an evening swim while the sun was setting on Lake Erie. Diane will be remembered for the great comfort, compassion and care she provided to patients she was entrusted with and survivors of abuse. She was also an advocate for women’s rights and her legacy will live on in the numerous nurses she mentored and the morals and strong work ethic she instilled in her children and grand kids. Diane was a cancer warrior but finally received peace from the pain of this horrible disease. Her last few hours were spent holding Gavin’s hand, sharing fond memories of their family and adventures while listening to the cherished music she loved. The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Doctors Arif and Daniels of the Oncology Department at Credit Valley Hospital for their guidance and support as well as the numerous nurses who showed concern and treated Diane like extended family when caring for her. Special thanks to family doctor Mike Wong whose compassion and counsel brought us great comfort during this arduous and daunting process. As per Diane’s wishes, cremation has taken place. If desired, memorial contributions to the Canadian Cancer Society would be sincerely appreciated by the family.
