Diane Sophie Aukzemas, age 80, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in her home on June 9th, 2023. Born in Poland in 1943 , Diane was the daughter of Katharine and Walter Grubiak. She immigrated to the United States in 1959 at just 16 years old to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania seeking a better way of life. She went back to Poland briefly and came back permanently a few years later. She was a graduate of Frankford High School in 1962.  She learned to speak English in high school and met Alfred Aukzemas through a mutual friend. They married in July 1966. She later moved to Wilmington, Delaware where she worked at a bank for many years. Diane enjoyed 30 years working at J.C. Penney as a retail clerk in the infants' department prior to her retirement. She lived her life with devotion to her Catholic faith and family.  She was a longtime member of St. John the Beloved parish.

In her free time, she enjoyed spending time on her backyard porch, gardening, caring for her inside house plants,  scrolling on her iPad, listening to music on her Alexa, and watching the news and soaps. Her favorite flower was the orchid. She was a huge fan of Elvis Presley. She absolutely loved printing and trying new recipes. She enjoyed cooking for her family especially Polish food and fried chicken and loved eating smoked herring and salmon. She loved traveling with her daughter taking many bus trips to places like Canada and New Hampshire and especially on cruises to Alaska, California, and the Caribbean, and to her favorite place Niagara Falls. She enjoyed Broadway shows in New York City and watching old movies at home with her daughter. Her happy place was listening to the ocean at the beach. She was happy to go back to her roots in Poland in 2016, visiting her sister Stasia. She enjoyed many years spending time with her dog Pepper and recently her cat Odie.

In addition to her parents, Diane was predeceased by her husband, Alfred, in 1988, and her sister, Czeslawa Jakubski in 2013.She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Joanna and Michael White; her son, Thomas Aukzemas (Barbara); her grandchildren, Benjamin and Sarah, and her sister Stasia Amrogowicz. She will also be remembered by all of her nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family and friends.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday June 20, 2023 from 10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. with a Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 11:30 A.M. at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 907 Milltown Road Wilmington, DE 19808. Burial will follow at All Saints Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, National Office, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Online condolences may be made to mealeyfuneralhomes.com.