Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
April 16, 1984
-
November 2, 2026
Services
Friends are invited to gather with the family on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, beginning at 10 AM at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Interment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery & Mausoleum, 770 Darlington Ave, Mahwah.
Diana Frances Palumbo, age 42 of Franklin Lakes, passed away on Monday, November 2, 2026.
Born on Long Island, NY, to Charles and Linda Zittel, Diana moved with her family to Glen Rock, NJ, before they settled in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, where she and her brother Adam were raised. From a young age, she was an incredible athlete, excelling in soccer as a fullback. She played with the Wyckoff Torpedoes before earning a place on the Northern Highlands High School varsity team in just her freshman year, and she ran track outside of soccer season.
After graduating, Diana was spending time in Belmar, NJ, when she met John Palumbo. The two shared great times at a place near and dear to both of their hearts, the Jersey shore. They soon fell in love and dated for several years while Diana went back to school to complete a Bachelor of Science in nursing, graduating with honors from Seton Hall University. On October 7, 2012, Diana and John made their vows to one another and celebrated their marriage with family and friends at The Grove.
Together, they welcomed three boys: Luca in 2014, Matteo in 2015, and Nico in 2018. Diana raised her sons in their Franklin Lakes home, a home she filled with love, understanding, beauty and joy. She supported her boys in every way, from helping with their school projects to cheering them on at every game. She was the reason they all took up soccer, and just like their mom, each of the boys is a talented defensive player.
Diana had a big heart and that heart encompassed not only her friends and family but also animals in need. She shared her home with a rescued pit bull named Nova, a cat named Brady, and several other pets over the years.
Diana had a remarkable talent for bringing people together, and she was always the life of the party. She loved a night out with friends, good music, and a competitive game of beer pong. Her playlists were full of her favorites: Justin Timberlake, NSYNC, and Rihanna.
The beach was one of Diana’s lifelong loves. She treasured time at her home in Brielle and traveled whenever she and her family could, with the Caribbean being her favorite getaway, especially Aruba, Saint Lucia, and Saint Maarten.
Diana was the best wife, mother, aunt, sister, and friend anyone could ask for. She will be remembered as endlessly supportive, thoughtful, honest, and loving. She was fiercely protective of the people she cared about, and she would give the shirt off her back to a stranger in need. Her bright and beautiful spirit will continue to resonate with all who were blessed to know her. She will be dearly missed.
She was predeceased by her father-in-law Giuseppe Palumbo, her uncle Richard Cancilla, her uncle Giovanni Domicoli, her grandma Frances Carbone, her grandpa Pasquale J. Carbone, her grandpa Charles Joseph Zittel, and her grandma Evelyn Zittel.
She is survived by her parents Charles and Linda Zittel, her husband John Palumbo, her sons Luca, Matteo, and Nico Palumbo, her brother Adam Zittel and his wife Jessica, her sister-in-law Nancy Hennen, her aunt Patricia Cancilla, her mother-in-law Rosaria Palumbo, her niece Alessia Zittel and nephews Tristan Zittel, Peter and Michael Hennen.
In lieu of flowers, you may also make a memorial donation in Diana’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends are invited to gather with the family on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, beginning at 10 AM at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Interment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery & Mausoleum, 770 Darlington Ave, Mahwah.
November 4, 2026
November 2, 2026
Services
Friends are invited to gather with the family on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, beginning at 10 AM at Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, 787 Franklin Lake Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
Interment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery & Mausoleum, 770 Darlington Ave, Mahwah.
Diana Frances Palumbo, age 42 of Franklin Lakes, passed away on Monday, November 2, 2026.
Born on Long Island, NY, to Charles and Linda Zittel, Diana moved with her family to Glen Rock, NJ, before they settled in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, where she and her brother Adam were raised. From a young age, she was an incredible athlete, excelling in soccer as a fullback. She played with the Wyckoff Torpedoes before earning a place on the Northern Highlands High School varsity team in just her freshman year, and she ran track outside of soccer season.
After graduating, Diana was spending time in Belmar, NJ, when she met John Palumbo. The two shared great times at a place near and dear to both of their hearts, the Jersey shore. They soon fell in love and dated for several years while Diana went back to school to complete a Bachelor of Science in nursing, graduating with honors from Seton Hall University. On October 7, 2012, Diana and John made their vows to one another and celebrated their marriage with family and friends at The Grove.
Together, they welcomed three boys: Luca in 2014, Matteo in 2015, and Nico in 2018. Diana raised her sons in their Franklin Lakes home, a home she filled with love, understanding, beauty and joy. She supported her boys in every way, from helping with their school projects to cheering them on at every game. She was the reason they all took up soccer, and just like their mom, each of the boys is a talented defensive player.
Diana had a big heart and that heart encompassed not only her friends and family but also animals in need. She shared her home with a rescued pit bull named Nova, a cat named Brady, and several other pets over the years.
Diana had a remarkable talent for bringing people together, and she was always the life of the party. She loved a night out with friends, good music, and a competitive game of beer pong. Her playlists were full of her favorites: Justin Timberlake, NSYNC, and Rihanna.
The beach was one of Diana’s lifelong loves. She treasured time at her home in Brielle and traveled whenever she and her family could, with the Caribbean being her favorite getaway, especially Aruba, Saint Lucia, and Saint Maarten.
Diana was the best wife, mother, aunt, sister, and friend anyone could ask for. She will be remembered as endlessly supportive, thoughtful, honest, and loving. She was fiercely protective of the people she cared about, and she would give the shirt off her back to a stranger in need. Her bright and beautiful spirit will continue to resonate with all who were blessed to know her. She will be dearly missed.
She was predeceased by her father-in-law Giuseppe Palumbo, her uncle Richard Cancilla, her uncle Giovanni Domicoli, her grandma Frances Carbone, her grandpa Pasquale J. Carbone, her grandpa Charles Joseph Zittel, and her grandma Evelyn Zittel.
She is survived by her parents Charles and Linda Zittel, her husband John Palumbo, her sons Luca, Matteo, and Nico Palumbo, her brother Adam Zittel and his wife Jessica, her sister-in-law Nancy Hennen, her aunt Patricia Cancilla, her mother-in-law Rosaria Palumbo, her niece Alessia Zittel and nephews Tristan Zittel, Peter and Michael Hennen.
In lieu of flowers, you may also make a memorial donation in Diana’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Guestbook