Diana Barden Hung

Diana Barden Hung peacefully joined her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on the morning of Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Diana was born July 14, 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the fourth of six children to Ellsworth and Jean Barden. She was fondly nicknamed "Tiny" owing to her premature birth, but was a lively youngster who loved school. Giving her life to Jesus Christ at age 15, she soon transformed her devotions to Christian service, especially among youth and children. She graduated with honors from Liberty Baptist College (Liberty University) in 1983, and considered law school at the University of Virginia, but decided to return to Milwaukee, where she met and married her husband John in April 1984.

From 1985-1989, they lived in Urbana, Illinois, where she grew a family while supporting John through graduate school. In 1989, they moved the family to Auburn, Alabama, and joined their beloved Lakeview Baptist Church. She actively raised her three children, initially in the Auburn public school system and later through years of home-schooling, and was the mighty wind that carried John in his life. She was a driven and committed Girl Scout leader; under her direction, Troop 223 grew into a cookie selling force, eventually raising enough funds to not only sustain the Troop, but reward all of the girls' hard work with a cruise to the Bahamas.Together, Diana and John traveled to nearly 40 countries of the world, and lived in Taiwan for an entire year, always grateful to develop friendships for Jesus along the way. Diana served for decades teaching kindergarten Sunday School and weekday preschool, and giving weekly children's chapel lessons through flannel board stories and songs. Together, she and John were a team for their Lord. Her life's greatest happiness was to share God's truths from the Bible to children, and to rejoice when they later called upon Jesus as their own Lord and Savior.

True to her outgoing personality, Diana has run ahead of her earthly family to her eternal home. Still waiting for their own calls are husband John, son Aaron (Sarah) of Whitehall, WI, daughter Emily McVay (Matthew) of Auburn, and son Zachary (Jessica) of Mobile, AL, as well as grandchildren Julia Birch Hung (Whitehall, WI), and James Henry McVay and Rosalyn Gail McVay (Auburn). Diana is also survived by her mother and each of her five siblings in the greater Milwaukee, WI area.

The family expresses deepest appreciation for the outpouring of love from friends, family, and co-workers, and especially from their church families. We are humbled and amazed that people around the world have been impacted by Diana's life, and in turn have been praying for us.

A celebration of life service will take place at Lakeview Baptist Church (Auburn, AL) on Monday, November 30 at 1 pm. Brother Al Jackson will officiate. If you plan to attend, then please protect yourself and show love toward others by following the church’s guidelines for safe gatherings: https://www.lakeviewbaptist.org/worship/#guidelines

In lieu of flowers, please give generously, sacrificially, and with joyful heart to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of Lakeview Baptist Church, 1600 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn, AL 36830. Donations can be given online at https://www.lakeviewbaptist.org/give/#online or https://www.imb.org/lottie-moon-christmas-offering/