Diana Gail McBride

  Diana Gail Penny McBride, 69, of Sherwood, after a long fight with Lewy body dementia, passed away on October 8, 2022, peacefully at home with her family by her side. She was born June 23, 1953 in Little Rock, to the late K.C. and Bernadine Penny.

  Diana married the love of her life, Walter McBride Jr. on June 18, 1971. She became an LPN in 1973 and continued that trade for 10 years until she landed an Operations Clerk position at TJ Raney. She climbed her way to the top before retiring in 2012 as the Senior Executive Vice President of the current Raymond James Company. During those years she worked with some amazing people, including her sister, Susan, her sisters-in-law, Rose Marie and Teena, and her best friend and longtime neighbor, Phyllis.

  When Diana wasn’t busy working, she was busy being an incredible wife, loving mom, Mamaw and great grandma.  She and Walter loved to travel, visiting places from the Arctic Circle to the Florida Keys and many places in between. Diana lived a truly blessed, full and accomplished life with lots of love and happiness. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

  She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Walter; her daughter, Melissa McBride Cross (husband Troy); her granddaughters, Hayley Cross Whidden (husband Doug) and Alivia Cross; three great grandbabies, Opie and Abel Whidden, and soon to be here, Ava May; and Diana’s sister, Susan McCord (husband Steve).

  A special thanks from the family to Kindred Hospice, especially David, Ted, Brandi, Whitney, and J, for providing quality loving care and comfort to Diana during the last few weeks of her illness.

  The family will receive friends and all those whose lives were touched by Diana at a visitation on October 13, 2022 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Smith Sherwood Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 3:00 PM on Friday, October 14, 2022 at Rest Hills in North Little Rock.