Dec. 21, 2021 UPDATE: Services for Diane have been postponed due to COVID. The family will reschedule in the coming months.
January 6, 1954 ~ December 7, 2021
Diane Elaine Riffie, age 67, of Lee’s Summit, passed away peacefully on Dec 7, 2021 in Columbia, MO after a season of health issues.
She was born January 6, 1954 in Warrensburg, MO to Clifford and Loretta Craven. She was a graduate of Lee’s Summit High School, class of 1972, where she made many lifelong friends.
She attended Graceland College for two years and graduated from University of Missouri in 1976 with a Bachelor’s in Education and Music. Later in life she returned to school and completed a Master’s Degree in Organ Performance from UMKC in 2011.
She was a life-long member of the Lee’s Summit Community of Christ congregation, and served as choir director and organist for many years; she was known for her uptempo hymns.
She was a member of the American Guild of Organists. She volunteered as a staff organist at the Community of Christ Auditorium and Temple. She loved preparing for and giving recitals on the Temple Organ. She was ordained in the church to Priest in 1991 and to Elder in 2001.
She enjoyed a long career as a musician and teacher at Lee’s Summit High School, serving in many capacities in the music department. She accompanied hundreds of students in her career, at concerts, Contest and private recitals. She loved “her kids” dearly and they loved her back.
She was known for her unique ability to have anything a student could possibly need in her purse, including snacks, safety pins and scissors. She was known for her highly organized nature, and judicious use of post-it notes. She delighted in seeing her students all over town.
She loved more than anything to be with her children and especially her grandchildren, Caleb, Caz, Lydia and Whit. She loved to play games, make crafts, and planned outings to go bowling, eat pizza at Minsky’s, birthday parties, and loved to pick out their cakes each year. She especially loved taking them to Reunion (church camp) each year.
Diane is survived by her two sons, John Hansen and Christy, (Caleb and Lydia), and Aaron Riffie and Kyndal (Caz and Whit); Her mother, Loretta Craven, and brother, Ron Craven.
A visitation will be held at Lee’s Summit Community of Christ Church, 1101 NE Independence Ave, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 on December 21 from 4-7 and a memorial service on December 22nd at 2pm at the church.
Dec. 21, 2021 UPDATE: Services for Diane have been postponed due to COVID. The family will reschedule in the coming months.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Diane Riffie Scholarship Fund at Lee’s Summit High School or to Outreach International. https://outreach-international.org/ https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=RLGR6597EAUSU
