Obituary of Diana Mitchell

Diana (Collins) Mitchell of Burlington, formerly of Arlington and Taunton, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, April 5, 2018 after a long struggle with diabetes. She was 54 years old. Diana was born in Somerville and grew up in Arlington where she attended Minuteman Vocational High School. She worked for the US Post Office for over 15 years. For most of those years, she worked as a filer and clerk at the South Boston Postal Annex. Because of the effects of her diabetes, she was forced to retire at an early age. Diana was determined and fierce in her fight to have the life she wanted, despite her many health challenges. She cherished time with family and friends and was often the life of the party. She was a good cook and loved to bake. She loved music, she loved holidays and she loved to laugh. Diana had a sharp wit and could be very funny. She loved swimming and lying on the beach on warm summer days. Her favorite vacations included destinations that had tropical breezes, sandy beaches, and warm water. She loved animals, always had pets, and faithfully supported the humane society. Diana was thoughtful and kind. For example, she knew that her mother-in-law, Dot Carbone, would love to go to California to see The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Diana was on the waiting list for tickets to the show for 2 years. When she was finally able to purchase tickets, she organized a trip for Dot to go to California with Diana and her sister, Mary. The highlight of the trip was sitting in the audience of the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Diana's greatest joy was her family. She adored her 2 sons. She loved being their mom, caring for them, and seeing them become the loving, talented men that they are. She was a devoted and loving daughter and sister. She grew up assisting her mother with caring for sick relatives, as her sons came to assist her with her health. She knew that her family were there for her and she was always there for them. She was close to her brothers and sister, and they always celebrated holidays and big life events together. She was especially close to her brother, Phil. They socialized together and always helped each other in their lives, including the difficult last days of her illness. Diana loved being part of a large extended family and some of her closest friends were her cousins. Some of the biggest influences in her life were her aunts and uncles. She also had a close group of friends she grew up with. They entertained and supported each other throughout their wild teenage years and their tamer adult lives. She was blessed to have met and fallen in love with Michael Frazier. They enjoyed 13 years together. Michael shared close ties to a large extended family and her Catholic faith, as well as a gift for having fun. Diana enjoyed Michael's family as much as her own. It seemed that Michael and Diana's devotion to each other only got stronger as she became sicker. Michael was at her side throughout the hardest parts of her illness, up to her last breath. Diana's life ended too soon, but her memory and spirit live on in the hearts of all those she has loved. Diana was the beloved mother of Adam Carbone of Medford and Bryan Carbone of Burlington. She was the devoted daughter of the late Margaret (Bullock) Brennan. She was the longtime girlfriend of Michael Frazier of Cambridge and he was the love of her life. She was the loving sister of Mary Collins of Westminster, VT, Paul Collins of Marlborough and Phil Collins of Watertown. She was the cherished daughter-in-law of Dorothy Carbone of Medford. Diana was also survived by many extended family and friends. Funeral from the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128/95 Woburn side) on Monday, April 9 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Sunday 3-6 p.m. Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Diana’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 10 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.