Diane Christnagel

Diane L. Christnagel, age 70, of Hastings, Minn., died Monday, June 15, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Hospital following a brief illness.

  Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 19, at Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 400 West Ninth St., Hastings, officiated by the Rev. Lloyd Menke.  Visitation will be held at the church from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday.  Interment will be held at Lakeside Cemetery, Hastings.     

In lieu of flowers, Diane’s family requests memorials be directed to Lions Eye Bank, an important organization to Diane.

Diane was born July 26, 1944 in Mason City, Iowa, to Thomas and June (Skalicky) Hanna.  She attended Clear Lake High School and graduated with the class of 1962 and continued her education at Luther College, in Decorah, Iowa.  Diane began teaching in the Osseo School District and was united in marriage to Irving “Chris” Christnagel at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake  in 1972.  She joined her husband in Hastings and later became the Christian Education Director at Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Diane continued to oversee all Sunday School and Confirmation classes, as well as many other tasks for over 20 years.

In 1975, Diane along with many other local friends, chartered the Hastings Rivertown Lions Lionels Club.  To this day, she still held a current officer position and enjoyed being an active member in many different ways.  She was gifted the Lionel of the Year in 1978, Helen Keller Award in 1991, as well as the Melvin Jones Award in 2011 for her dedication and commitment to the organization.  Diane also loved taking pictures and scrapbooking, spending time with her grandchildren, sewing as well as cooking and looking through new recipes.

She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas.

Diane is survived by her husband, Irving “Chris,” of Hastings; son, Steve (Kilee) Christnagel, of Maple Grove, Minn.; her grandchildren, Laura, Thomas and Lucille; her mother, June Hanna, of Clear Lake; and by many other relatives and friends.

Arrangements were made with Caturia-Smidt Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Hastings.