Frances Sue Diehl

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Frances Sue Diehl, of Orlando, FL, on March 29, 2023, at the age of 82. Frances was born on September 1, 1940, in Orlando, FL, to Helen and John DePorter and was the middle of three children. Frances graduated from Boone High School in 1958 and took many, diverse college courses. She continued exploring her vast interests and was an entrepreneur to several different businesses. She dabbled in construction and medical services. Additionally, she acquired her motorcycle license, her small plane pilot’s license, and her real estate license. She loved to sew, quilt, crochet, cook, bake, and can or preserve food. She was dedicated to gardening, animal husbandry, permaculture, and sustainable living and she loved both learning and teaching others about any subject matter. She was a passionate, one-of-a-kind woman and her outgoing personality and enthusiasm for life were contagious. She could light up a room when she arrived and she loved and laughed easily. She was fond of having her hands in the dirt, being at the beach, and especially devoted to bringing people together. She lived a full, beautiful life and she will be missed and remembered by all of the many lives that she touched with her love.

A Celebration of Life and Potluck will be held on April 30th, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. at Audubon Park Covenant Church, 3219 Chelsea St, Orlando, FL 32803. To honor Fran, please wear bright, cheerful colors and floral prints. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Orlando Permaculture. This organization was very near and dear to Fran’s heart as she so loved gardening, teaching, and sharing with the community. https://orlandopermaculture.org/donate/

Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and John DePorter, her brother, Thomas DePorter, and her nephew Thomas DePorter II. She is survived by her daughter Kay McAfee and her family, husband Bret and children Kadelyn, Matthew, Kristina, and Jackson; daughter Jodi Newcom and her family, husband Jeff and children Bethany, Logan, and Joshua; and daughter Alyson Diehl; her sister, Katherine Robbins, and sister-in-law, Sandy DePorter, and their children and families.