Diane Sudduth

Diane Sudduth, age 74, passed away March 12, 2021.
She was born August 1, 1946 to the late Clifford and Sybil (Leffingwell) Baker in Omaha, NE. Clifford and Sybil were of very humble means; prior to Diane being born, her father, Clifford worked as a Clown for Ringling Brothers Barnham and Bailey Circus. Diane was the third of 4 siblings. The oldest was their brother Clifford (Jay) Baker Jr, then their sister Lyla Baker and their youngest brother Gary Baker.
When Diane turned 6yrs old, she experienced a very traumatic experience in her life. Her mother, Sybil, was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia and was institutionalized for the rest of her life. This situation fractured her family for the rest of their growing up years. Diane’s dad wasn’t able to provide for the kids at this time. So, the oldest two siblings, Jay and Lyla, went to live with their Uncle Dewey and Aunt Lyla Berneson. Diane and Gary ended up in an Orphanage and then Foster homes for several years.
Around the time Diane was 10-11yrs old, their dad was able to get custody of both Diane and Gary and they lived in Carter Lake, IA. Diane then attended Carter Lake Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Junior High and then Thomas Jefferson High School.
When Diane was growing up in Carter Lake she first attended Lakeview Bible Church in Carter Lake, IA. Through Diane’s Junior High and High School years she began to attend a Lutheran Church. She said she always knew there was a God and spent several years searching for Him. After High School she started attending a Baptist Church located off of N 27th Ave and Camden Ave in Northern Omaha. It was here that she would meet her future husband Edward Sudduth. Mom always joked about the fact that the first time she seen dad he was coming down the back steps of the Baptist Church on Camden and fell. As she watched him fall down the steps she told herself, “I am going to marry that man!” After a while, Diane and Edward started dating, were engaged and eventually married on March 4, 1967.
Mom desperately wanted children, but because of the some medical conditions she was initially told that she and Edward would never be able have any. Thankfully, a little over a year into their marriage she did become pregnant. Just shy of two years into their marriage, Ken, was born on February 23, 1969 and, Lea Sudduth was born on December 6, 1971. The family lived in Florence, NE. until 1981, and then moved to Carter Lake, IA. on Dorene Blvd where they continued to live until mom’s passing.
Diane was the last of her siblings to pass into Glory. Gary passed away first in the mid 80’s. Lyla passed away in 2008 and Jay in 2013. Diane is survived by her husband Edward, her two children, Ken (Ellen) Sudduth and Lea (Mike) Mutum. Six grandchildren, Bud (Alicia) and Drew Mutum, Cole, Kendra, Edward and Clayton Sudduth. Diane is also survived by three great grandchildren, Logan, Ryker and Arya Mutum.
Diane’s and Edward’s faith in Jesus Christ was the focal point of their lives and their relationship to each other. They both served in the churches they attended faithfully for many years. They both had a heart for ministry to the kids and teens of their neighborhoods. The greatest testimony of Diane’s life was her commitment to Christ and that she would tell anyone who would listen about the message of the Gospel so that they too could have the opportunity to know Christ as their Savior.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by siblings, Jay Baker, Lyla Baker and Gary Baker.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The family will direct memorials.