Diane Pruett was born on March 27, 1941 in Los Angeles, California to Steve and Helen Callas. Her father and mother were Greek immigrants, and Diane was the second of four children in the Callas family. She is survived by her husband, Vernon Pruett, and their three children: Steven Pruett, Karen Pruett Scherrer, and Pamela Pruett Zimny; by their five grandchildren: William Pruett, Hunter Pruett, Henry Pruett, Nathan Scherrer, and Luke Scherrer; as well as her siblings: George Callas, Chris Callas, and Irene Callas Constantine. She was a beloved "Nouna" to: Debbie Boltinghouse, Mary Constantine Parlapanides, Jeannette Smith Chan, and Christopher Callas.

Diane spent her entire life in the Los Angeles area. As a young girl, she attended The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, fondly referred to as the "San Julian Church." She was an active member of the Greek Orthodox Community for the entirety of her life, beginning in her youth and continuing with the construction of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles in 1952.

Diane was involved in various organizations as a young person, including G.O.Y.A. She was among those first to become a legacy of Saint Sophia Campers. She proudly represented the Greek community in traditional costume to celebrate the opening of Disneyland in 1955. She continued to be active in the church over the years, dedicating much time to singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, and to the Philoptochos Society.

Diane was dedicated to the church and to Christ. Her identity as a Greek Orthodox Christian grew over the years, and became the foundation upon which she would brace herself throughout her life. She sought and found refuge and solace in a life spiritually grounded in the Church and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Diane loved to travel, and after college she made her way across the Atlantic to various places in Europe. She was able to travel repeatedly over the years, including many return trips to Greece, which, after all, held a special place in Diane's heart. Her mother's family hailed from the island of Skyros in the Aegean Sea, while her father's family had firm roots in the soil of the village of Louka, outside the city of Tripolis.

It was not too long after returning from one of these early trips to Greece that Diane met Vernon Pruett, a young engineer, on a blind date. Their friendship blossomed into romance, and on July 2nd of 1967 Diane and Vernon were married. Their union would span over five decades.

Diane was an educated woman. She began her teaching career after graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor's degree in psychology. Her love for teaching children lasted for two decades. She was at ease in her classroom and with her students. Her positive outlook and devotion to her students made her a beloved part of many lives.

Diane was truly youthful at heart. She expressed joy and wonder at all things.

in a childlike way that made her a true pleasure to be with. Diane's children, grandchildren, and godchildren brought her many years of joy throughout her life. She often commented that she never felt older than fifteen years old herself, and this allowed her to bond with those much younger than she, who adored her charming, delightful sense of humor. She kept little magic tricks on hand to enchant the many children who have now grown up with fond memories of having been fooled by a trick pack of chewing gum or by the ever-classic "finger in the box."

Growing up with Diane Pruett made for an idyllic childhood experience. If one was a child in Diane's midst, one could be ensured of being brought up well, being taught well, being given healthy (but creative) treats, and being exposed to the absolute coziest, safest, and snuggest of environments.

How Diane did all of this while working full time is a mystery. She was a career educator as a teacher of over twenty years, and beloved by her students, but she never brought work home with her. She had dinner on the table every night and watched over not only her own children, but the children of the entire neighborhood. Days were packed with books, games, sport, and adventure–and always under her watchful, protective eye.

Diane did all of this and so much more, and she did it for decades. During this time her own parents were growing older, and she spent a lot of her time taking care of them. It was the norm for her to spend the bulk of her day with them. This was the way of things, no questions asked, done for love and because it was simply what was done.

In the 1980s Diane had to face a brutal reality. She had to slow down and stop teaching. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer. True to her generation and herself, she did not dwell, nor did she make it known to everyone in her own family. She quietly and graciously battled, and she won.

Once Diane was in remission, she decided to pursue a new career in real estate. Diane was never a person to sit still or be idle. She procured her license and went to work for McGregor Realty and later, Coldwell Banker. She continued working in real estate from the 1990s and into the 2000s. She enjoyed the freedom that working in real estate provided, and she was able to provide many homes to happy clients, family, friends, and all of her three children before finally retiring.

Diane was an educated and career-oriented person, but her heart and happiness was found in her family and friendships. She treasured the close relationships that she had built and maintained with her childhood friends. In her happiest moments of sheer freedom from responsibility, she could be found on the telephone, chatting with one of the girls from the old days. Over the years, she'd get together with the ladies (sometimes husbands were included) for lunch, movies, and dinner parties. Always the social butterfly, Diane was in her element when she was surrounded by those she loved dearly.

Diane passed away from Alzheimer's disease on December 1, 2021. Though she was taken from us too soon, we are comforted knowing that she is at peace, made whole again through Christ our God. May her memory be eternal.

The Trisagion service and funeral will be at Saint Sophia Cathedral, 1324 Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006. Trisagion at 7pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, and funeral at 10:30am on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. A luncheon will be provided at the Huffington Center immediately following the service. The burial will take place at Forest Lawn Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91205, shortly after the luncheon at 2pm. May her memory be eternal.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Saint Sophia Philoptochos Society, Alzheimer's Association.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapman Funeral Homes - Terry & Mary Harmon, Funeral Directors. Toll free (855) 628-0447.

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Obituary notice for Chapman Funeral Homes. Please visit www.chapmanfuneraldirectors.com .

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