Van KEULEN, Diane   - On September 26th, 2021, after 2.5 years and 5 lines of treatment for non-small cell stage IV lung cancer, Diane Geraldine Van Keulen passed away at Margaret Bahen Hospice in Newmarket, Ontario at the age of 61.

She was born on May 7th, 1960 to Richard and Geraldine Van Keulen.

She is survived by her two daughters, Deidre and Gwen, as well as her partner Ron.

She leaves behind three siblings; Henry, Gerrit, and Sadie. 

Diane will be lovingly remembered by her remaining family, including her many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles across Canada and Holland. Her memory will also be kept alive by the many students and colleagues she impacted over almost three decades as an educator. 

Early in life Diane developed a love for all things agriculture and animals, inspired by her first pony Prince purchased for her by her parents. She grew up on the farm worked by her father in Blenheim, ON, and carried this knowledge into her bachelor’s degree from the University of Guelph in Agriculture with a specialization in Animal Sciences. 

She practiced Equine Assisted Learning with her horses for those who needed it, a service she provided to the community free of charge. 

Throughout her diagnosis and treatments, Diane was a fierce advocate for Lung Cancer Canada and cancer research. She did this by speaking to the stigma surrounding lung cancer on national television and to many political representatives across Canada.

She was a friend to many experiencing the same journey as her, often acting as a sounding board and support system. 

Should you wish to honour her memory, please consider donating to Lung Cancer Canada: https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/Donate-Now.aspx, and the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation for Cancer Care: http://give.southlake.ca/vankeulen. 

Our family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at Southlake Regional Health Centre and the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, as well as Dr. Kassam, Dr. Mulhern, and Nurse Jared for their care and compassion. 

A small celebration of life will be held with Diane’s immediate family and friends on Sunday, October 3rd. A recording of the service, link to the slideshow, and the link for Diane’s video about her cancer journey will be provided to anyone who is not able to attend.

DurhamObituaries.com