Diana S. Heald's Obituary
Diana Lee (Gunstream) Swanson Heald, age 83, of Richardson, Texas, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026. She was born on November 3, 1942, in Dallas, Texas, to Lee Roy Gunstream and Bennie Sue (Strother) Gunstream.
Diana grew up in University Park in Dallas and graduated from Highland Park High School. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Diana spent much of her working life in her family’s business, Richardson Building Materials on Greenville Avenue in Richardson, where she served in many roles, including accounting, customer service, product ordering, and general manager. The business was founded by her parents, and she worked closely alongside her mother for many years. Through her work in the family business, Diana learned to invest in and manage real estate. Alongside her beloved husband, William “Bill” Heald, she owned and managed rental properties throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Later, she helped many families achieve homeownership by financing their purchase of the homes they had been renting.
Diana was also deeply involved in her community. She was a devoted member of the Richardson Woman’s Club from 1989, serving in leadership roles including president and treasurer. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church Richardson and participated in online Christian fellowship and Bible study groups.
Diana was a woman of many interests and talents. She had a creative spirit and loved floral design and home décor, often helping others beautify their homes. She was an active member of the Dallas 20 investment club, where she also served as treasurer. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, playing bridge, and participating in multiple bridge clubs, where she cherished both the challenge and the friendships. An avid reader, she was an active contributor to several book clubs. She read the newspaper daily to stay engaged with current events and enjoyed the thoughtful conversations in her “Hot Topics” discussion group.
Diana will be remembered for her adventurous spirit, quick wit, and love of laughter. She and Bill especially cherished traveling together in their RV, creating lasting memories and friendships across the country. She also enjoyed family ski trips, reunions, and countless adventures with friends and loved ones. Her home was a joyful gathering place filled with games, puzzles, and laughter, where her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were always welcomed with love and delight. She had a gift for turning everyday moments into something special, creating treasured memories for all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William “Bill” Heald (2015).
Diana is lovingly survived by her children: Scott Swanson and his wife Cindy of Columbia, Maryland; Jeffrey Swanson, MD, and his wife Tracy of Happy Valley, Oregon; Steven “Steve” Heald and his wife Jill of Jacksboro, Texas; Mark Heald of Jacksboro, Texas; and Dianne Patrick and her husband Duncan of Loveland, Colorado. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Sean Swanson, Brooke Myhre, Will Swanson, Ella Swanson, Angela Morris and her husband Seth, Sarah Erwin and her husband Brandon, Lucas Patrick and his wife Isabel, Lauren Grant and her husband Matthew; and her great-grandchildren: Emery and Olivia Morris, and Charlie, Carolynn, and Ashlynn Erwin, and Astrid and Lugh. She is further survived by her niece-in-law Liza Igot Lisot, great-niece Monica Sue Lisot Telles and her husband Alfred and their son Elias, and other loving family including Maxine Dorothea Lisot and Alexander Lawrence Lisot.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Abbey Chapel on the grounds of Restland Memorial Park. A visitation will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Diana’s memory
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