Diane Araxia Frenster, 54, Galesburg, died around 8:00 pm on Monday, January 27, 2020.
Diane was born August 24, 1965 and grew up in Atherton, California. She graduated valedictorian of Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California in 1983, and attended Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Physics. She later earned a Masters in Physics at UCLA. Diane was married to Thomas R. Moses in Atherton, California on July 4, 1992.
Left to remember her are her husband of 28 years, Thomas R. Moses of Galesburg, her son Mark T. Frenster of Galesburg, her mother Jeanette H. Frenster of Raleigh, North Carolina, her sister Linda Frenster Jackson of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and her brother Jeffrey A. Frenster of San Jose, California, her mother-in-law Dolores C. Moses of Galesburg, and two dear friends, Sarah Liu of Berkeley, California and Lois Wollin of Germany. She was preceded in death by her father John Frenster.
Diane taught physics and astronomy at Carl Sandburg College and worked as the Science Technician at Knox College, before becoming a homemaker. She loved music, whether classical, rock, or jazz, and she sang, played piano, guitar, bass guitar, and sometimes harmonica, recorder, and drums. Over the years, she performed with Carl Sandburg College and Knox College jazz combos, the Rootabaga Jammers, Galesburg Community Chorus, Knox faculty-staff folk and rock groups Troubled Minds and others, and open-mike nights at the Beanhive in Galesburg. She was a member of the SAI Music Sorority, the Jazz Unlimited Club, and a regular at the Song Writer’s Club at the Beanhive. She loved her dear friend Lois Wollin’s Bible Study group and attended for years, developing many close relationships. A person of many interests, Diane enjoyed building ingenious polyhedral models, figure drawing, photography, ice skating and power walking, gardening and prairies, sewing projects, and had a limitless enthusiasm for Victorian literature. She loved dogs and Greek food, was a sworn enemy of litter, and refused to own a cell phone. A self-professed weirdo, Diane was a person of energy and passion, and those who loved her will miss her very sorely indeed.
Cremation will be accorded. A Celebration of Life gathering is being planned for the spring or summer. Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg. Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be made at info@watsonthomas.com.
