Diane McCarthy was born on September 22, 1946, and passed away on April 9, 2025, at the age of 78.

Diane McCarthy moved to Lake Charles in the late 70s from northern California. For at least 25 years she owned or managed Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Lake Charles and Beaumont, Texas.

Once Artists Civic Theatre and Studio (ACTS) was formed, she became an active member of the ACTS board. Diane loved the theatre and was an active participant in shows at ACTS, often being an actor, producer, and stage manager.

She was multi-faceted and loved history, which led her to research the history of ACTS Theatre on Reid Street. She received the Francis Windham Award from ACTS in the early 2000's and received the mayor's award recognizing her contribution to the arts in Lake Charles. She was an active member of the Lake Charles Art Council. Diane loved the Lake Charles community and loved being involved in any way she could.

Diane loved her cats; Seymour was one of her favorites.

Diane was also very involved in Temple Sinai of Lake Charles. She served as the administrator for many years and Diane was often the first person one spoke with when calling Temple Sinai. She could answer most questions and was active in all Temple activities. She was delighted to become a member of Temple Sinai and the Temple Sisterhood. She'd add her decorating touches to events in the social hall and head up the kitchen volunteers. For the annual corned beef sandwich fundraiser, Diane was the person to greet as supporters entered.

True to her love for research, Diane did extensive research on the history of Temple Sinai. Getting to know the congregational roots was important to Diane and making sure the legacy and history of Temple Sinai was preserved made this an ongoing project for her.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Diane's memory can be sent to Temple Sinai, 713 Hodges Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601.

A graveside service will be held at 12:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, 2025, at Temple Sinai-Hebrew Rest Cemetery inside of Graceland-Oak Grove Cemetery, 2023 East Broad Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana.