Obituary of Diane Derks

Diane Derks was called home to the Lord in the loving embrace of family on April 20, 2023, at her residence. She was 56 years old.  

Born in Cincinnati, OH on April 3, 1967, to Walter and Ruth [Johnston] Kroeger, Diane called Independence, KY home. Diane loved the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart, soul, and mind. She had an unquenchable thirst for the knowledge of Scripture. She treasured the Word of God, and every day she spent hours in private study with her Bible. Her greatest joy was to be a wife and mother, roles that she cherished and fulfilled beautifully. She dedicated her life to raising her children to know the love and grace of Jesus. She taught them to fear and love God, and lived a life exemplifying the call of Christ to be kind and tenderhearted and to “go ye therefore and teach all nations.” She loved her church family at Piner Baptist Church. She faithfully taught a Bible study for 15 years and regularly gathered with her friends and family in fellowship and laughter. She was described by her family as incredibly creative, kind and generous, with an enormous heart, especially for the less fortunate. She always found her greatest peace and connection in God’s creation while hiking. She loved to go to Lincoln Ridge, Red River Gorge, and Clifty Falls. She loved to sew, particularly to make her children clothes and to make her house the most wonderful home. She carried with her always the heart of an educator. She taught special education, kindergarten, as well as 3rd and 4th grade in Cold Spring and Fort Thomas. Diane received her Master Of Library Science from the University of Kentucky and was an elementary school librarian up until the time she and her husband John decided to start their family. While she had traveled the far reaches of the world to Australia, New Zealand and Europe and touched the souls and minds of so many, Diane always believed that her greatest occupation was that of mom and wife. The hole created by the absence of this funny, charming woman is tremendous. We are comforted though, that she pressed on toward the mark of her upward calling in Christ Jesus, fighting the good fight, finishing her course, and keeping her faith. 

Diane was the beloved wife of 26 years and 5 months to John Derks; cherished mother to Mia Derks (Stephen Cordle), Andrew “Bo” Derks, Will Derks, Nina Derks, and Annika Derks; treasured daughter and sister to Walter and Ruth Kroeger and Bob Kroeger (Jill); dear daughter-in-law to Marcia “Bo” Derks; prized aunt and an amazing friend to many.  

A visitation will be held at Diane’s home church: Piner Baptist Church on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. You are invited to come and share remembrances and stories with the family from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Directly following the visitation a funeral service will be held (also at the church) at 12:00 PM.  Diane was exceedingly joyful in her worship of the Lord, and we will raise a great noise and sing some of her favorite hymns.  After the funeral service, family and friends will gather graveside at Independence Cemetery, 5358 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051, where Diane will be laid to rest. While she absolutely adored flowers of all kinds, the family requests you instead give in Diane’s name to Sunrise Children’s Services at sunrise.org.  

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“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)