Diane Marie Welsby, 81, passed away at home in Bennington, NH, on April 8, 2026, after a long illness. She was born on April 27, 1944, in Quebec, Canada, to Fred and Georgette (Bedard) Welsby.

Diane moved to Somersworth, NH, in 1960, and lived in Barrington, NH, from 1970 up through the early 1980s, where she had a small farm and ran a riding stable. She was married to Gerard Lavoie for 17 years. During the 1980s, she traveled far and wide across the United States. She settled in Lubbock, TX, for 10 years before moving to Wilburton, OK, where she lived for 20 years. In both Lubbock and Wilburton, she built her own houses, complete with plumbing and electrical. She was a homesteader, raising goats, chickens, turkeys, and geese. She loved raising animals and farming and was strongly attached to her land.

A deeply religious woman, Diane contributed to many charities and drove down to Mexico after a large earthquake, bringing donations from many in the United States. She lived there for many months and retained to the end of life a love for the Mexican people.

She enjoyed painting, singing, and playing her guitar. She wrote three books and published one. She was enthusiastic about science, studying human anatomy, geology, and chemistry. She lived her life like an epic, with as many adventures, arguments, and songs as she could manage.

Diane is survived by her children, Jenny Lavoie of Newport, NH, and Eric Lavoie of Bennington, NH, her sister, Gladys Welsby of Grand Junction, CO, and her brothers, Jim Welsby of Somersworth, NH, and Ken Welsby of Washington, MI.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at a day and time yet to be determined in Somersworth, NH. Burial will take place at the family plot in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Diane’s name to Home Healthcare and Hospice, 312 Marlboro Street, Keene, NH 03431.