Dianna L. Buttafarro

A native of Jamestown, she was born Jan. 24, 1945, the eldest child of the late J. George and Josephine Piazza Grice.

She was a 1963 graduate of Jamestown High School. Dianna pursued a career in nursing and went on to graduate from Jamestown Community College’s historic first Nursing class, something which she was very proud of. She dedicated over 40 years of her life to caring for others. She began her career as a registered nurse at Jamestown General Hospital and was employed for 35 years by WCA Hospital starting as an RN in pediatrics, a nursing supervisor, part of the quality assurance department and retired in 2010 as the patient representative.

She was a communicant of St. James Catholic Church.

More than anything, she considered family to be the most important part of her life. Family gatherings brought her great joy and excitement, and Sundays were often filled with dinners, games, and laughter. She viewed her family as her life’s greatest achievement, especially being Nana to Jack, Gracie, Ellie and Josie.

Dianna cherished all moments with her children and grandchildren. She was the best Mom and Nana and loved going to their various activities. Prior to her health issues, she enjoyed marathon shopping sprees with her daughters and traveling to see musicals with her son. She and her husband Tom took the grandchildren on many vacations. In 2012, Dianna and Tom felt blessed to take the entire family on a weeklong vacation to Sandbridge, VA – which they called the “Buttafarro Bonanza”. Dianna and Tom also enjoyed traveling together to many casinos, and especially loved Las Vegas.

Surviving are three children, Sherrie (Mike) Southwick and Stacy Felton, both of Jamestown and Thomas (Heather) Buttafarro, Jr. of Hamburg; eight grandchildren, Jack, Grace and Ellie Felton, Josie Buttafarro, Mike Jr. and Matthew Southwick, and Emma and Mia Sauer; siblings, Linda Grice, Sandy Adams and George (Shelley) Grice, all of Jamestown; and nieces and nephews, Vicki, Becky, Ashley and Ryan Adams, Stephanie Frank and Matthew Grice.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Thomas A. Buttafarro, whom she married Oct. 8, 1966, and who died Nov. 28, 2021; a brother in law, Marty Adams, a sister in law, Chris Gove and a niece, Kelly Adams.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am Friday in St. James Catholic Church. The service mass will be livestreamed at lindfuneralhome.com.

Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Friends will be received from 3-6 pm Thursday in the Lind Funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Janet Lindell Scholarship Fund, c/o Chautauqua Region Community Foundation or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

You may leave words of condolence at lindfuneralhome.com.