Diane L. “DeDee” Warner, 59, of Seekonk Road in Great Barrington passed away Monday, May 4, 2015 after a courageous 5-month battle with cancer.
Born November 20, 1955 in Hudson, N.Y., she was the daughter of Betty Coons Bouteiller and the late Robert C. Robertson. She attended Monument Mountain Regional High School and was a graduate of Taconic Hills High School.
DeDee was a hairdresser by trade. For the past 37 years together with her business partner Tina Norton, the two owned and operated Yonge Street Ltd. Beauty Salon in Great Barrington.
DeDee dedicated her life to helping those around her. When DeDee’s and her husband Rosco’s son, Robert, was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at the age of 4 years old DeDee’s mission from that point on was advocating for Robert. She helped to start new programs within the Berkshire Hills Regional School District that would not only benefit Robert but hundreds of children who would come after him. When DeDee started looking for a program to help her son learn outside of school in a more real-life setting, there was nothing to be found. So together with help from an autism specialist and a special education director they came up with their own and called it “Bridging the Gap.” Here they practice life skills like cooking, cleaning and shopping.
She enjoyed cooking and learned many of her recipes from watching her mother-in-law. She loved spending time with her family and friends, especially when they were together at the cottage on Lake Champlain.
Along with her mother, Betty Bouteiller, DeDee is survived by her husband of nearly 37 years William “Rosco” Warner. The couple was married on July 1, 1978 at the Alford Methodist Church. She also leaves her two sons Richard Warner of Stockbridge and Robert Warner of Great Barrington, her sister Dale-Marie Braun of Sarasota, Fla., her step-sisters Debbi Guinan of Pittsfield and Dawn Taylor of Gainsville, Fla.
Along with her father, Robert, she was also predeceased by her brother Edward Robertson and step-brother Doug Bouteiller.
A service celebrating DeDee’s life will be held on Friday, May 8 at 11 a.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington, conducted by Rev. Charles Van Ausdall. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 7th from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Donations may be made to the Diane L. Warner Memorial Scholarship Fund that will be used to benefit students at Bridging the Gap through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. To sign the guestbook or send remembrances to her family go to www.finnertyandstevens.com.
