JACKSON – Most knew Diane Lorraine Mangold simply as Dolly others knew her as “Miss Diane” and she was well known as a loving, intelligent, and passionate woman whose life brought warmth, laughter, and steady kindness to everyone around her.
That was especially true for those in the Manchester Township School District where she worked for close to four decades. Mangold was a special needs teacher at the district’s Regional Day School based in Jackson. She passed away on January 26 in Toms River.
Regional Day School features a 10-month day program with an extended school year program offered during the month of July. Individualized education programs are implemented and each pupil’s performance is commensurate with his/her social, intellectual and physical abilities. On a daily basis, teachers and support staff provide students with academic, social and vocational experiences which allow them to reach their full potential, according to school administrators.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our retired employees, Diane Lorraine Mangold (Dolly). Our thoughts are with their family, friends, and all who knew and worked alongside her,” Superintendent of Schools Diane Pedroza told Jersey Shore Online.
Pedroza added, “during her 40 years with our district, Dolly made meaningful contributions that left a lasting impact on our school community. We are grateful for her years of service and dedication. On behalf of the entire Manchester Township School District, we extend our heartfelt condolences to her loved ones.”
Her obituary spoke of how dedicated she was to her students: “She gave her whole self to the students she served. She had a gift for making people feel seen, valued, and capable, and she used that gift every day.”
Regional Day School Principal Lisa Michallis described Mangold saying, “our RDS family is saddened to hear of the loss of a great friend and dedicated employee. “Miss Diane was a highly valued paraprofessional and member of our faculty for forty years. She made a positive impact on the lives of many students, families and staff.”
“Diane greeted each day with a positive attitude and always offered a helping hand. On behalf of our faculty, past and present, we share our deepest condolences with her family. Diane will always be remembered,” Michallis added.
Seated L-R: Sue Acquisto, Cynthia Goldsberry, Ellen Kurilla, Theresa Zacchia, Amanda Moore, Diane Mangold (Photo courtesy Manchester Schools)
The Manchester Township Education Association honored her memory following her passing. A post on the organization’s Facebook page stated, “Dolly devoted almost 40 years of her life to the Manchester Township, NJ School District and Regional Day School at Jackson where she taught special needs children with patience, dedication, and heart. Her work was not just a job, and anyone who knew her understood that she gave her whole self to the students she served.”
The post added, “she had a gift for making people feel seen, valued, and capable, and she used that gift every day. May her memory be a blessing.”
After retiring, she went to work at ShopRite in Toms River simply to stay busy, her obituary noted. “Her love of learning and her natural ability to connect with others made education a perfect calling for her. She had the kind of mind that could explain something clearly, patiently, and with just enough humor to keep everyone awake which is more than can be said for many classroom lectures.”
“Her intelligence was matched by her compassion, and that combination made her unforgettable,” her obituary went on to state.
The former teacher found a way to remain useful, stay connected, and keep life moving, preferably with a purpose and maybe a good story to tell afterward.
Her obituary also noted that “If love had a scoreboard, Dolly would have been winning by a landslide.”
