Dianne Lofft

Dianne L. Lofft of Lake Gilman, Mullica Hill, NJ passed away on Tuesday, May, 5, 2009 at Elmer Community Hospital with her husband of 41 years by her side. She was 70. Born July 1938 in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Ada Fischer. Immediately after graduating Audubon HS in 1957 Dianne joined the steno pool at the bustling New York Ship in Camden, NJ - once the worlds’ largest and most productive shipyard. She loved the high energy and excitement of the shipyard and it was here that she met and married Charles W. Lofft, Chief Marine Engineer at NY Ship in 1968 and moved to Medford Lakes, NJ. When the shipyard closed, Dianne put her vivacious personality and great people skills to work in display advertising in Cherry Hill, NJ. She switched gears when the family moved to Houston, TX where she was the one-woman-show managing SWIG (South West Irrigated Cotton) a cotton warehouse; where her capable, no-nonsense approach served her well. While in Texas, Dianne acquired several horses, one of her animal passions, and when she relocated to Colts Neck, NJ, she hauled her two favorites with her. Dianne’s last move was to Lake Gilman, NJ in 1974. The sense of neighborhood and community spirit (and the space for her horses, dogs, cats, birds and fish) made it the perfect place for her and Charles. They built a homestead for themselves including the project they undertook together – building a second barn from hand-hewn and pegged framing they bought for $5 at auction. For the past 35 years she wove herself into the community serving on the Board of Trustees for Lake Gilman Owners Inc. as well as its social and beautification committees; volunteering as a 4H leader of the Jeans & Jodhpurs Club; managing the office at the Pilesgrove Animal Hospital in Woodstown; and raising and caring for her beloved horses at her Anchor’n Acres farm. Dianne’s passion for animals was apparent in all aspects of her life from her volunteerism to her wardrobe to her interior decorations and through her philanthropy. Dianne’s striking beauty, coupled with her hearty laugh and ‘tell it like it is’ style disarmed everyone she met. She would have a fast friend in minutes and developed committed lifelong friends wherever she spent time. She was equally at ease at a corporate soiree or mucking a stall, though her ‘true’ side was decidedly informal. Her can-do attitude was tested when, at 60, she broke her leg falling from a ladder off the roof as she cleaned the gutters. Her creativity and sense of style were captured in everything she did including home ceramic work, art projects and seasonal lawn décor. To say that Dianne was a colorful, spirited, strong and generous character would only begin to capture her essence. Diane is survived by her husband Charles, daughter, Deborah Lynn Long, grandsons, Michael C. Piotrowski and Justin Shelly, great grandson, Michael X. Piotrowski and sister-in-law, Shirley Ann Snow and her dog, Daylo and cat, Rootie. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a life celebration memorial at the Lake Gilman Pavilion on Sunday May 17, 2009, at 2:00 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to an animal welfare organization of your choice or to the Salem County Humane Society, PO Box 214, Carneys Pt, NJ 08069. Memories can be shared at www.mcbridefoleyfh.com

Dianne Lofft

July 17, 1938 - May 5, 2009