Diane Goff

Diane Byron Goff, 73 of Antrim, passed away peacefully at Summerhill Assisted Living on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, surrounded by the love of her family.    She was born in Littleton, NH on April 23, 1949, to Irving and Barbara (Miles) Byron.

Diane was the second of six children and lived in Littleton, NH until third grade surrounded by lots of extended family.  The family moved to southern NH, landing in Goffstown, NH, where she attended Goffstown Elementary School and met her love, Gregory Goff, after knocking down an entire shelf of books in the school library.  Diane was shy and new to school, so Greg became the knight in shining armor, but they did not formally date until 16, they were partners forevermore.  They were voted “Class Steadies” of their graduating class at Goffstown High School in 1967.  After high school, Diane attended Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene at Northeastern University and received her Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene.   Greg and Diane married at the Congregational Church of Goffstown, NH in 1970 and lived in Manchester and Goffstown for a few years before buying their first, and only, house in Antrim, NH in 1976. Diane worked for various dental offices in the Monadnock Region until around 1990.  She volunteered with Monadnock Teeth, bringing dental care to children at the schools around the area through a partnership with Monadnock Community Hospital.

She was an avid walker, hiker, kayaker, cross-country skier, snowshoer, and nature lover, but her most favorite thing to do was dance with Greg. They were a sight to behold and any party they attended.  She taught aerobic dance through the Antrim Recreation Department for years. She choreographed all her dances for hours with a Walkman or 8-tracks in the “boom” box in front of mirrors, even during family vacations. After Diane retired from hygiene, she continued to be active in the community, joining yoga classes at the Grapevine and working at reception at the Bond Wellness Center in Peterborough.  She loved to exercise and was always busy.  She loved to bake and had an insatiable sweet tooth, but she always tried to make her treats healthy, but substituting applesauce for sugar, or adding raisins and oats.  She often tried to slip a little tofu into meals without her kids noticing, telling them it was chicken.  Chickpeas were a regular test subject, way before hummus was a common household item in the US.  You could always find the latest fad diet book on her nightstand, and a package of Mint Milano’s in the freezer.

Diane found the Lord Jesus Christ early in her journey and was a faithful servant until the end.  She loved to sing and was a member of the choir wherever she attended church.  She worked as the Secretary for the First Presbyterian Church of Antrim for many years.  She was also open to all sources of spirit and love, meditation and self-discovery were some of her favorite things.  She raised two daughters, Tricia and Sarah, and encouraged them to find their own paths.  The absolute joy of her life was her grandchild, Alex Bell.  Diane loved doing activities with Alex and loved being Nana.  She was always enthusiastic to support whatever endeavor her kids undertook.

Diane is survived by her husband of 52 years, Gregory Goff; her daughters, Tricia Goff of Peterborough, NH; Sarah Goff and her partner, Sam Mertzweiller of Leetonia, OH; and, her grandchild, Alex Bell of Philadelphia, PA.  In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her siblings, Linda Fowler of Colorado Springs, CO; Susan (David) Jenkins of Dunbarton, NH; Jay (Maria) Byron, of Quito, Ecuador; Todd (Lana) Byron, of Nashua, NH, and Kent (Donna) Byron, of Petersham, MA.

A Celebration of Diane’s Life will be held on Sunday, November 6, 2022 from 2:00PM to 5:00PM at the Hillsborough American Legion Post 59, 548 W. Main Street, Hillsborough NH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Diane’s name to the NH Alzheimer’s Association, 166 S River Rd., Bedford, NH 03110; or, to Home Healthcare Hospice & Community Services, 312 Marlboro St., Keene, NH 03431.