Obituary for Diane Clarida

Diane Clarida

April 5, 1943 – November 30, 2024

Diane Jean (Coffman) Clarida, 81, of Ponca City, OK, left this life for her home in heaven on Saturday, November 30, 2024, in Oklahoma City, OK. The family will be present at the Visitation to be held between 5:00 and 7:00 PM, Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Trout Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 12:00 PM, Friday, December 20, 2024, at Pioneer Bible Church in Ponca City, OK. A Private Committal Service will be held at Resthaven Memorial Park. Those unable to attend the Celebration of Life service, may attend virtually on the Trout Funeral Home website, www.troutfuneralhome.com and click on the live-stream or toolbar icon on the top right corner after 9:45 AM. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK, 74601.

Diane was born on Monday, April 5, 1943, in St. Louis, MO, to Paul and Lorena (Blair) Coffman. She attended and graduated from elementary and high school in Rolla, MO. She also attended two years of college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. Diane married Dannie Clarida on August 7, 1965, in Rolla, MO. They were married for over 59 years. She was lovingly supportive of her children and grandchildren during their childhood and adult years, always involved and staying connected with them through visits and phone calls. She was deeply loved by her family and will be dearly missed.

She, along with her husband Dannie, was part of the founding group of the Pioneer Bible Church in Ponca City, OK in 1981 and served in the church for 43 years until the time of her death.

Throughout her life, Diane sought to apply Biblical solutions to life’s problems. She undertook a two-year course of training at Scope Ministries International to be better prepared for helping others in their daily Christian walk. For a time, she served on staff at Scope Ministries to share these Biblical precepts in a formal setting.

Diane’s gifts as a teacher and Biblical counselor were used to help women better understand their identity in Christ. She used these gifts throughout her years of leading Bible studies and mentoring women. She had opportunities to minister to a women’s group in England and at a women’s conference in Kenya. Also, she and her husband Dannie took two trips to Zambia as representatives of Living Well ministry for a pastor/wife enrichment conference and Wisdom Christian School leader and teacher development.

Diane would accompany her husband on international trips to visit friends in the petroleum refining industry, enjoying the varied natural beauties of the world. On several occasions, she enjoyed visiting her children and grandchildren living in Asia and Europe.

Diane loved music and was a gifted singer. She was an accomplished seamstress who spent many years sewing for her family and friends. She loved studying God’s Word and was a self-taught theologian. As an avid reader, Diane acquired a vast vocabulary and knowledge of world events. She continually enjoyed learning new things including how to build computers in the 1990s.

Diane was preceded in death by her parents, brother Earnest, and nephew Gary Duncan. Survivors include her husband, Dannie Clarida; son, David Clarida and wife, Brenda; daughter, Christy and husband Luis Kruger Jr.; grandchildren, Trevor Clarida and wife, Ruth, Parker Clarida, Faith Kruger, Luis Kruger III, Julia Kruger, and Charis Kruger. Other survivors include sister, Paula Hoer; nephews, Ron Duncan, Troy Duncan, Mike Duncan, and Brandon Coffman; niece, Amanda Baker.

Memorial gifts can be made to Living Well for Wisdom Christian School in Zambia at www.livingwellokc.org.

Source: Trout Funeral Home