Diana Kay (Brand) Pagel

October 3, 1953 – March 11, 2023

Diana Kay (Brand) Pagel, age 69, passed from this life on March 11, 2023, at her home, surrounded by her loving family, after fighting Alzheimer’s disease the past several years. Diana was born to Herbert and Ester Brand on October 3, 1953, in Perry, Oklahoma. She graduated from Perry High School in 1971 and continued to live in Perry her entire life.

She married the love of her life, her high school sweetheart Wayne Allen Pagel, on August 16, 1975, at the Christ Lutheran Church in Perry and they were married for 47 years. With this marriage, they were blessed with two children, Adam Pagel, who preceded her in death in April 1998 at the age of 15, and Shawn Pagel who currently lives in Owasso, Oklahoma, with his girlfriend, Denver Berumen, and two children, Addy and Kennedy.

She worked her first job as a lifeguard during summer break in high school. After graduating from high school, and after a short stint in college, she went to work for Smith Trucking Service. The business closed after several years, which led her to carrying out the remainder of her career at Seawater Trucking. Since she was always a busy bee who loved the sun, she also mowed lawns in her spare time, which was a family business that started in 1995. Anyone who knew Diana knew that she would do just about anything to help and care for others. This consisted of giving kids rides to and from school at times, being a good listener on the local town square, or ensuring that everyone she was close to had great holidays. Diana absolutely loved the holidays. Christmas was her favorite! She loved spreading the Christmas cheer by trying to make sure all the kids that she knew had a present to open. Halloween was a close second favorite. She was known in Perry for having top-notch decorations and candy for kids trick-or-treating and she also put together massive Halloween parties for her sons and their classmates. If you went to one of those parties, you most likely still remember it to this day. Something should also be said about Diana’s love for Eskimo Joes t-shirts and sweatshirts. She tried to wear one every day and absolutely had to have the latest anniversary shirt every year. She not only wore them for comfort, but Eskimo Joes was founded a month before she got married in 1975, reminding her of her anniversary date every year.

In addition to her son, Adam Pagel noted above, she was also preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Ester Brand, her father-in-law, Walter Pagel, and mother-in-law, Irene Pagel. Diana leaves behind her husband, Wayne Pagel, her son, Shawn Pagel, her sister, Donna Reiman and husband John (Morrison, OK), her brother, Dennis Brand and wife Carla (Oklahoma City, OK), her brother, Herbert Brand and wife Sherry (Perry, OK), her sister-in-law, Nancy Stock and husband Jim (Kingfisher, OK), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Perry with Russ Hughes officiating. Family requests no flowers, and if you would like to make a donation, please consider Karmen Legacy Hospice at 1311 South Western Road, Stillwater, OK, or the Alzheimer’s Association.