Obituary of Diana Lavey

Diana J. Lavey, former owner of the Paperback Exchange, passed away, after a 5 year battle with cancer, at her home surrounded by her family on Friday morning, April 4, 2008. She was 68 years old. Diana was born in Stoneham, the daughter of the late Ernest and Alida Rodgers. She grew up in North Reading. Because North Reading did not have a high school at the time, she was a graduate of Reading High School. She loved books and one of her first jobs was as a librarian at the Watertown Arsenal. She married her husband Michael, who was a career Army officer. She accepted her role as an Army wife and the Army’s way of life. She packed up her family, living in Maryland, Germany, Indiana, and Taiwan, each time making a loving home for them. After her husband Michael retired from the military, the family settled in Burlington in 1974 to raise their three children. She worked part time at the Paperback Exchange for 10 years and then had the opportunity to purchase the business with her husband. They ran the store together for almost 10 years, until Diana’s illness forced her to stop working. Owning the store was not as much about making money as it was about sharing her love of books with others. She had many loyal customers and employees whom she considered friends. It gave her a great sense of pleasure to run the small intimate bookstore. In her free time, Diana enjoyed experiencing nature’s beauty in locations like Bar Harbor, Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Hampshire. She enjoyed quilting. She was blessed to have seen the birth of four grandchildren and to be a part of their first years of life. Diana will be fondly remembered by her family, friends, employees, and customers. Diana was the wife of Michael A. Lavey. She was the loving mother of Cathleen Lavey of Burlington, Brian Lavey & his wife Carolee of New Providence, NJ, and Heather & her husband Daniel Sullivan of Hudson. She was the sister of Alan Rodgers of N. Reading, Marcia Rodgers of Andover, formerly of N. Reading, and Donald Rodgers of Derry, NH, formerly of N. Reading. She was the proud grandmother of Kelsey & Caitlyn Sullivan and Aiden & Emily Lavey. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Thursday, April 10 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Diana’s name may be made to the Caritas Good Samaritan Hospice, 310 Allston St., Brighton, MA 02135.