About Diana French
Diana French (nee Cherem), passed away peacefully on September 26, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 87. She was born on January 16, 1933 in Royal Oak, Michigan, the 5 th of 12 children. Living in Detroit most of her life, she met her husband Fred in 1954 when he was in the Coast Guard. They were married for 49 years before Fred passed away in 2004.
From the time Diana was a child, she was always helping people. When she saw someone alone, she would automatically go to them and address their needs. Her desire to help led her to work with many charitable organizations over her lifetime. Her greatest achievement was the co-founding of Brother to Brother International, a charity that matched companies with donations of food, medicine, hospital equipment and supplies to over 1600 charities needing them. She personally traveled to 13 countries in fulfilling the organization’s mission. In Nigeria, she is honored by those she helped with the naming of a village hospital after her.
She retired from Brother to Brother as Executive Director after 45 years of helping others. In appreciation for her lifetime of service, Diana was presented with the Daily Points of Light award from the Points of Light organization founded by President George H. W. Bush.
She will be lovingly remembered by her children, Linda Marie French, Jeffrey Paul (Debra) French, Michele Kathleen (Joseph) Verderame; cherished granddaughter Natalie (Michael) Christiansen and grandson Andrew Verderame; brother Gabe (Barbara) Cherem and sisters Luda Huff and Pola Bowden.
A celebration of life will be held at Desert Cross Lutheran Church in Tempe, Arizona at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Desert Cross Lutheran Church, 8600 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe, Arizona, 85284.