Diane Hinners, age 74, of Huron, passed away at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, on Friday, December 15, 2023.

Her funeral service was held at 10:00 AM, Friday, December 22, at the American Lutheran Church. Interment followed in the Riverside Cemetery. Her service was live-streamed .

View Diane's Funeral Folder

Her visitation was held from 1:00 to 7:00 PM, Thursday, December 21, at Kuhler Funeral Home, with family present from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.

Diane Kay Nelsen was born to Howard Nelsen and Fern (Tack) Nelsen on October 20, 1949, in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

She married John Hinners on May 20, 1972. The next two summers they spent three months on Simmons & Snow Pike Lookout Tower at the Red Ives Ranger District.  After graduating from college in 1974, John and Diane went into the Peace Corps at Morocco, Africa. In 1985, they moved to Huron, South Dakota, to follow John's new job opportunity for the State of South Dakota as a Forest and Agro Forester. Diane began work at the Crossroads Hotel and Convention Center in 1987 as a cook in Festivals Restaurant. In 1998, Diane went on to work in the Nutrition Service Department for the Huron School District.

Diane dedicated her free time to her kids and grandkids, following them in all of their activities. She was great with kids, and enjoyed volunteering at the Christian Learning Center in Huron. She also had a passion for quilting and cooking.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Hinners; her father, Howard Nelsen; her son, Kevin Hinners; and two sisters, Carol Vick and Patricia Nelsen.

Diane is survived by her mother, Fern Rockwell; two children, Anita (Nathan) Fischbach of Shelby, NE, and Travis (Heather) Hinners of Sioux Falls, SD; five grandchildren, Taryn Fischbach, Kasey Fischbach, Carter Hinners, Gavin Hinners and Dallas Shannon; three siblings, Kathie (Larry) Hanson, of Albert Lea, MN, Thomas (the late Linda) Nelsen of St Peter, MN and David (Lynde) Nelsen of Hayfield, MN; two brothers-in-law, Frank (Sandy) Hinners, of Maricopa, AZ and Neal (Cindy) Hinners, of Spring Valley, MN; as well as one daughter-in-law, Amanda Hinners of Aberdeen, SD.

View Diane's Floral Arrangements