Diane Felts Memorial Garden

Diane P. Felts, OFS, 62, of Rochester, N.H., passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. She became a dear friend to many in the Newton area. Immediately upon hearing of her death, these friends and many in the area felt the loss of her infectious optimism and joy.

A group of friends and parishioners at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Newton have initiated a fund-raiser to create a memorial garden for her at the Catholic Conference Center.

The garden will be a way to both honor her life and to provide a place of prayer and meditation for everyone to enjoy.

The Catholic Conference Center was chosen for a number of reasons. Wild turkey and deer and other wildlife frequently visit the natural setting selected, something that would have brought Diane great delight. She also loved hiking and bonfires, and the center has a number of short trails and a nearby bonfire pit which are attractions for many individuals and groups.

A central feature of the memorial will be the the purchase of a stunningly unique statue of Saint Francis. As a Third Order Franciscan, she was a devotee of Saint Francis. On the property is the Saint Francis Retreat House, a perfect location for the statue. Some porch rockers and a garden planter will finish the memorial – and Diane loved her rockers!

The total cost of the memorial is $1,500, over half of which is the price of the statue of Saint Francis.

You may make a tax-deductible donation to the Diane Felts Memorial by mailing a check made out to the Catholic Conference Center and mail to 1551 Trinity Lane, Hickory, NC 28602. You may also use the form below. The Catholic Conference Center will set-aside 100% of these funds for the memorial and work with the friends to purchase and place the items, but will retain final say in the selection, placement, end use of all materials purchased for this memorial.