Diane M. Dexter

Diane M. Dexter, née LiPetri, passed away peacefully on October 25, 2026, after a period of declining health. She was born on January 22, 1948, in Hudson, Massachusetts, a community that remained closely woven into the story of her life.

Born and raised in Hudson, Diane attended local schools and was a 1965 graduate of Hudson Catholic High School. She later earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education, beginning a path that would become both her life’s work and one of her proudest accomplishments. Diane began her long career in the Hudson Public School System in the early 1970s. She spent a short time at the Forest Avenue School, but devoted most of her teaching years to Farley Elementary School, where she served her students with dedication and care. Teaching was at the heart of who she was. She received many awards for her expertise in education, with special recognition for the compassion and attention she gave to her special needs students. In 2006 after 37 years of service, she retired from teaching to spend more time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Diane will be remembered as a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and a person who was special to so many she encountered throughout her life. She found joy in simple and meaningful pleasures. She loved to read, especially fiction novels, and enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, with cribbage holding a special place as her favorite game. She loved her plants and flowers and took care of her garden every year. She loved her Lenox and Christmas Village collection and setting up the holiday decorations. She also loved listening to music, especially the songs of Barbra Streisand, and found happiness in singing with the choir group in her college years. Diane also had a special place in her heart for the many cats she cared for over the years.

Her family was the center of her life. Diane is survived by her sons, Michael Dexter and his wife Nivia of Miami, FL and Andrew Dexter and his wife Danielle of Westborough, MA, and by her daughter, Annette Ballard of California. She also leaves her sister, Doris Strom and her husband Dean of Bolton, MA, and her brother, William LiPetri and his wife Debbie of Nashua, NH. She was a devoted grandmother to Logan Dexter, Laryssa Dexter, Vyvienne Dexter, August Dexter, and Reese Dexter, and a proud great-grandmother to Amber Rioux, Ian Ballard, and Clara Ballard. She is also survived by her step-grandchildren Daniela Pena and Jason Arevalo, her niece Michelle MacDonald and her two children Maddy of Hudson, MA and Stephanie of Martha's Vineyard, MA, Nephew Eric Richards and his son Hunter of Leominster, MA, along with other relatives and friends. The love Diane shared with her family was lasting and generous, and her presence will remain deeply cherished in their lives.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Dexter, her beloved husband of 53 years, who passed away on July 11, 2025. She was also preceded in death by her father, William LiPetri, and her mother, Doris (Bombard).

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, 50 Central St., Hudson, MA 01749. A Service and Celebration of Diane's Life will take place on Monday, November 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, followed by burial at 11:45 a.m. in Saint Michael Cemetery, 278 Cox Street, Hudson, MA 01749.

Diane’s life was marked by devotion to her family, commitment to her students, and kindness to those around her. She leaves behind a legacy of care, warmth, and steady love that will be remembered always.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Diane may be made to: St. Jude's Children's Hospital