Diane Regina Niedospial

Diane Niedospial, 81, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 26, 2025, at E.W. & Lucille Cates Hospice House in Ocala, Florida.

Diane was born on December 20, 1943, in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, a World War II Polish refugee born at the Santa Rosa Mission to Anna (Koralewska). The Santa Rosa Colony, established by Catholic Relief Services and founded by U.S. Bishops, provided refuge to more than 1,500 Polish families who had survived Soviet labor camps. Diane spent her early childhood there, receiving a Catholic education in both Polish and Spanish.

After leaving the colony, Diane and her mother briefly moved to Canada before settling in Chicago. There, her mother married Ted Bakiera, who lovingly adopted Diane, and she took his last name, Bakiera.

In Chicago, Diane completed high school and began working at Prudential, which at the time was the tallest building in the city. She built a large social network within Chicago’s Polish North Side community and became an active member of the church choir. Through the choir, she formed many lifelong friendships and was introduced to her future husband, John J. Niedospial.

Diane and John married and made their home in Schaumburg, where they raised their three children. She was widowed in 1982, a loss she faced with strength, faith, and unwavering devotion to her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Niedospial (40). Strong in her faith, Diane was the rock that held her family together. She lovingly raised her three children: son Ed (Andzia) Niedospial, daughter Jeanie (Kurt) Schafer, and son T.J. (Richelle) Niedospial.

Diane was a devoted grandmother to six grandchildren—Annette, Alex, John, Evangeline, Alina, and Adam—who knew her best as “Babcia” and will forever cherish her love and guidance.

Fluent in three languages, Diane was truly a jack of all trades in both work and life. Her varied careers included life insurance underwriting, oil painting sales, teaching catechism, real estate, and working as a grocery store cashier. A social butterfly, she formed many deep and lasting friendships. Yet her greatest calling and proudest role was being a loving mother, Babcia, and friend. She often signed off with the words that captured her spirit best: “Love you big.”

Later in life, Diane fulfilled several lifelong dreams through travel. She visited Australia to meet her aunt Maria Koralewska and cousin Mitch Podolski, journeyed to the Holy Land in Israel, traveled to Monte Cassino in Italy to see the red poppies and visit the resting place of a father she never knew, and finally fulfilled her wish to see Poland.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at E.W. & Lucille Cates Hospice House for their exceptional care and loving support.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday April 24, 2026 at Holy Family Church, 2515 Palatine Rd., Inverness, IL 60067. Visitation at 9:30am in the chapel followed by 10:30am mass in the church.

Burial will take place on Saturday April 25, 2026 at 11am at Maryhill Catholic Cemetery, 8600 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL 60714.