Diane Arlene Pierzina

Diane Arlene (Yapp) Pierzina passed away December 30, 2025 in Grand Juncion, Colorado at the age of 71.

She was born to Jay E. Yapp and Inez M. Feld at Porter Memorial Hospital in Denver, CO on January 25, 1954. She was the only child of her parents. Diane was baptized and made her First Holy Communion at Our Lady of Grace at 2645 E. 48th Avenue. She began elementary school at Swansea Public School at 4650 Columbine St. She attended there from K-2nd grade. 

Her family relocated to a heighborhood near 17th and Valentia Streets near the former Stapleton Airport. She started 3rd grade at Ashley Elementary at Syracuse and Montview Blvd. and completed 5th grade. Her mom decided she would start 6th grade at St. James at 13th and Oneida Streets. At 14, Diane began to Song Lead at weekend Masses at St. James. It was a big adjustment getting used to the parochial school environment. The education was much more advanced and it took Diane until her freshman year at Machebeuf High School to feel comfortable with the teaching style and disciplines. Diane was so thankful to be a part of the excelled education and graduated from Machebeuf High School in 1972. She wanted to attend Loretto Heights College in Southwest Denver; but, the college fell on hard time and closed its doors. Instead, in 1973, Diane began a 7 year career at the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center and the Air Reserve Personnel Center at 38th and York Streets. She held the title of clerk typist. She met her future husband, Jerome C. Pierzina on Oct. 4th of that year. It was a blind date at choir practice at St. James. By Thanksgiving, Jerry asked Diane to marry him. They married at St. James on April 20, 1974. In 1980, their one and only child, Clarice Adele was born at St. Anthony Hospital. Diane quit her government job to stay home with Clarice. After 6 months, Jerry's employment ended because Stearn's Roger Engineering Compy went out of business. The early 1980s were tough times economically. Jerry and Diane did a variety of odd jobs to meet the needs of family life. Eventually Diane took employment with the Archdiocese of Denver --- working at four different Catholic Church Offices for a total of 12 years. She then moved onto working for the City and County of Denver at Denver Health Medical Hospital in the Admissions department for two years. In 1998, she began a career as a 911 Emergency Call-taker for the Denver Police. She happily retired in January 1, 2013. In August of 2013, Jerry and Diane came to the Western Slope on vacation. Jerry really liked the area and said he wanted to live here someday. As God would have it, we, along with Clarice and her family moved to Fruita, CO not knowing anyone. Our parish became Sacred Heart. Diane was very involved in many church ministries! Her cancer journey began in March of 2023. It was very difficult to have to give up most of the ministries she had been involved with. 

Diane is survived by her loving husband, Jerome, daughter Clarice, grandson Ethan and granddaughter Kaitlin.

Diane enjoyed music very much. She would like to encourage you to go on YouTube and listend to Sandi Patty sing How Great Thou Art (her album of Songs of Faith...Songs of Inspiration). At the end of the hymn, rejoice and say to yourself, Diane is "HOME" to God Be the Glory. 

Instead of flowers at the Mass, she would like memorial gifts to be made to Sacred Heart or any Catholic Elementary of High School or any donation to other Catholic organizations of choice (Pro-Life, Priest and Religious Health Care Facilities, Seminaries, etc.)