Born in Boston to Arnold and Dorothy Helm, they moved their trailer from Boston to Chicopee, where they resided for many years, until the home they were building at 111 Cold Hill, Granby, MA was complete. While attending South Hadley High School, she became the recipient of the national Betty Crocker Homemaker Award in her senior year. Shortly after graduating in 1957, she married Edmund Scheinost, owner and president of Green Pine Dairy in South Hadley. She and Edmund then had a house built at 18 ½ Alvord St. where they raised their 5 children. In addition to her own 5, she was "mother" to many more in her role as a daytime babysitter for other working mothers, and was also a Girl Scout leader for many more. While caring for so many children, to earn extra money, she used her award winning baking skills as a side hustle to bake confectionery delights for many school teachers, forcing her son to suffer the embarrassment of having to ride the school bus with a sour cream coffee cake on his lap for a measly $2. In 1974, she began working outside the home as a secretary for Holyoke Equipment Company. She worked there for 30 years and retired as Vice President of Administration in 2004. She then began working as an accountant for Northern Construction in Palmer, MA and retired again in 2014. Diane was active in the community as a "Know Your Town" committee member, a Town Meeting member, and also served on the South Hadley School Committee for 6 years. She was a parishioner of the South Hadley Congregational Church and sang in the church choir. Diane was predeceased by her husband, Edmund Scheinost (1917-1999), her son Kris Scheinost (1964-2019, and her grandson Shane Burns (1990-2022). She leaves behind her daughters, Trudy Rahkonen (husband John), Debra Avery, Lois Burns, her son Carl Scheinost (wife Deserie), 15 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She also leaves a sister Lois Duso (husband Randy), and brothers Arnold (wife Jeanne), Richard Helm (wife Donna), Conrad Helm and Bruce Helm. Last but not least, she leaves her beloved cats Paxil and Reba. Diane was without doubt, the best mother, grandmother, and great grandmother this world has ever known. Her calming presence, joyous spirit, beautiful smile and quick wit will be missed by all who knew her. Calling hours will be Sunday April 23 ^rd from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at the O'Brien Family Funeral Home, 33 Lamb St., South Hadley, MA. The funeral home service will be Monday April 24 ^th at 11:00 am followed by burial in West Street Cemetery in Granby. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either of her favorite charities: Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Inc (Local food pantry serving South Hadley and Granby) Alzheimer's Association. For more information or to make online condolences please go to obrienfamilyfh.com.