Diane Martel Way, age 66, of Newport, N.H., passed away suddenly on May 5, 2026, in Newport. She was born on October 13, 1959, in Worcester, Mass., to her mother, Lorraine Martel.
Diane earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in gerontology from the University of Vermont. After eight years as an executive assistant at Addison Northeast Supervisory Union, she spent the next 32 years serving seniors in Vermont and New Hampshire. An accomplished sales and marketing director, Diane worked at Wake Robin, Shelburne Bay Senior Living, Armistead Senior Care, Morgan Orchards and Summercrest Senior Living. She was known for her remarkable ability to connect with people and for guiding thousands of seniors and their families through the transition of downsizing, whether moving into senior living communities or arranging for appropriate care at home. Her work was recognized with honors by the Vermont Health Care Association’s Outstanding Marketing Director of the Year award in 2006, as well as recognition as a United Way Hometown Hero Volunteer.
Diane also served with several organizations, including the board of directors for Champlain Valley Agency on Aging, Heineberg Senior Center and Celebrating Seniors in Vermont. She volunteered as a Flynn Ambassador and co-facilitated the In-Harmony Dementia Support Group. She moved through the world with wit and luminous intelligence, carrying a humor that could soften even the hardest moments. Her love for animals was boundless and instinctive, as if it were a language her soul spoke before words ever could. She was deeply drawn to horse racing, with an uncanny intuition for betting. As with most things, she moved with a quiet certainty that often proved true. Diane was also an incredible cook. Above all else, the center of her life was the sacred bond she shared with her daughter, Elysia. It was a connection marked by devotion, protection and an almost unspoken knowing. She was her daughter’s fiercest supporter and most constant light, pouring herself into her happiness and dreams with unwavering love. In her presence, life felt guided, held and gently enchanted.
She is survived by her daughter, Elysia Way; her mother; Lorraine Martel; her father, Ernest “Ernie” Martel; her sisters, Jennifer Hallmartel and Jessica Selby (Stanton Selby); seven cherished nieces and nephews; and her beloved cat, Salem.
A private memorial service was held at Summercrest in Newport, N.H.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the VINS Nature Center and the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.