Diane Danburg Statham

Diane (Dede) Danburg Statham 78, wife, mother, aunt and good friend passed away unexpectedly and far too soon on Tuesday, March 5 due to complications of knee surgery. She was born on December 22, 1945 in Houston, TX to the late August and Rosalie Danburg of blessed memory. She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Joe, her sister and brother-in-law Flo and Bill Fink and her brother Jerry Danburg. She is survived by her step-son Steve Statham, her sisters Sheryl Green (Shane Jackson), Glenda Waldman (Terry) and Kerrie Wolfson (Steve) and her brother David Danburg (Karen.) She is also survived by her 18 nieces and nephews and their families. She cherished time with her large and loving family and was blessed to have had many occasions to celebrate with them. Diane was blessed with a brilliant intellect enhanced with creativity, wit and mastery of many subjects. She was often described as the smartest women in any room. She was not a person to just sign her name to an organization or club but she immediately became an integral part of it. She was happy to devote much time and energy to serving the community, first as treasurer and president on the board of directors of Memorial Club Townhouse. She also served as treasurer on the board of Congregation Beth Am, financial secretary and chair of adult education on the board of Temple Sinai and co-president of it’s Sisterhood, chair of grassroots fundraising and treasure of Anne Frank Hadassah, treasurer and secretary on the board of TWRC Wildlife Center, and public affairs VP and president of the West Houston chapter of National Council of Jewish Women, (NCJW.) She was a docent for many years at Holocaust Museum Houston, taught financial education classes for Women’s Resources of Houston, and prepared taxes as a tax aide for AARP. She cherished her Jewish heritage and supported the ERJCC Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book and Arts Fair including the Jewish Film Festival. She spent many years in the Melton Adult Judaic Studies program. Diane was active for many years in Toastmasters and contributed articles from time to time on various topics to the Houston Chronicle and to the Oil and Gas Journal. Diane loved the outdoors and enjoyed hiking, golf, and birding. She traveled the world with her late husband Joe and her many long-time friends. She loved to read and she had been a member of Gulf Coast Mensa since 1980. Diane was a graduate of the University of Houston with BA in political science and history, magna cum laude, and an MBA in accounting and finance, with honors. She acquired her CPA designation through Touche, Ross and went on to spend many years in the oil and gas industry, working in internal audit and gas account balancing with Enron and Panhandle Eastern. She made a midlife career change spending many years as a personal financial advisor with American Express Financial Advisors and successor company Amerprise, becoming a GFP and CRPC. She was grateful to the staff at Eagle’s Trace where she lived for many years and where she made many lifelong friends. Diane was a cherished friend and colleague to so many people. Her brilliance and compassionate devotion to her many activities will be sorely missed. May her memory be for a blessing! Contributions to Temple Sinai, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston Hadassah or to a charity of your choice will be much appreciated. A funeral service was held at 12:00 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2024 in the Bender Memorial Chapel at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Ln., Houston, Texas, 77055.

Diane Danburg Statham

December 22, 1945 - March 5, 2024