Diana Esther Dutton

HINSDALE — Diana Esther Dutton, 78, a lifelong resident of Hinsdale, passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at The Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Olean, where she had been residing for the last number of years.

Born July 9, 1947, in Olean, she was the daughter of David and Hazel Bishop Dutton.

Diana graduated from Hinsdale Central School in 1965 and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1969 and her master’s degree in advanced teacher education in 1976, both from St. Bonaventure University.

She began teaching kindergarten at West Valley Central School in 1969 until June of 1972. From January until June of 1973, she taught kindergarten at Portville Central School. In September of 1973, she was hired to teach third grade at Hinsdale Central School. She taught both third and fourth grade for 34 years, retiring in 2007. Diana loved teaching fourth grade due to her love of Hinsdale’s history.

Diana served as vice president of the Hinsdale Alumni Association in 1981, and as its secretary from 1982 until 2014. She was a member of the DAR, Hinsdale United Teachers, NYEA, NYSUT, NEA and the NYS Retired Teachers. She was also a member of the Buffalo Zoological Society, Buffalo Museum of Science, Hinsdale Historical Society and the Buffalo Bills Booster Club.

She served as chairperson of Hinsdale’s 175th anniversary celebration in 1995, as the Town of Hinsdale historian from 2008 until recently, as photographer for the Hinsdale, Maplehurst and Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department, as assistant historian and president of the Dutton Family Reunion, and as former secretary and president of the Hinsdale Guys and Gals.

She loved to read, travel, take pictures and work on her genealogy. She was a faithful fan and loved to attend the Buffalo Bills football games and the men’s and women’s St. Bonaventure basketball games.

Diana wanted to be remembered as an honest, loyal daughter and friend who tried to do her best as well as being a sincere teacher who loved her students.

She was family to many both living and deceased, including Rosabell Hamilton, Monroe and JoAnn Bishop, Mary Bishop, James and Shirley Dutton, Ruby Dutton,  Calista Dutton, Glenn Dutton and Wayne Dutton. She was cousin to Arlene Kent, Irene Farwell, Tom Dutton, Roy Hamilton, Kevin Hamilton, Sue Shedlock, Byron Hamilton and Martin Hamilton.

Close friends, both living and deceased, include Mary Ann Sawaya, Ann Scanlon, Gregory and Carol Gary, Michael Murphy, Janet Ness, Peter, Jesse, and Liam VanPaassen, Ester Martens, Frans and Juliette Martens, and Jan and Pauline VanPaasen. Others include Steven Curran, Melissa Curran and children, Bobi Cornelius, Jordan Gathers, Andrew Nicholson, Youssou Ndoye, Robert Lanier and many other St. Bonaventure University basketball players.

She was predeceased by her parents; and her sister, Betty Hazel Dutton, due to an automobile accident on the Hinsdale-Olean Highway on May 28, 1960.

Family and friends will be received from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday (April 28, 2026) at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Road, Olean.  Services will begin at 1 p.m.  Burial will follow in the Allegany Cemetery, where many of her family lie in rest.

Memorials may be made to the Hinsdale Fire Department, Main Street, Hinsdale, NY 14743; the Hinsdale Alumni Scholarship Fund; Hinsdale’s Town Historian; or to the Hinsdale Community Church, Main and Flanigan roads, Hinsdale, NY 14743.