Diane Cecelia (Zwach) Wellmann, age 82, of New Ulm, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – North Chapel in New Ulm. A private family burial will follow at the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, August 31, 2026 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – North Chapel in New Ulm. Visitation will continue from 9-10 a.m. Tuesday at the North Chapel.

To leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook, please visit: www.mvfh.org.

Diane was born on January 23, 1944, in New Ulm, Minnesota, to Sylvester and Cecelia (Rieger) Zwach. She grew up on the family farm and attended a one-room country school just a few miles from her childhood home. As the oldest of five children, Diane naturally became a caretaker and a keeper of family stories. She had a remarkable memory for the details of her grandparents, relatives, and family history, and she took great pride in making sure those stories were remembered and passed on.

Diane married Richard Wellmann on June 25, 1966. Together, they built a life centered around family, hard work, and countless memories. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Diane found great joy in the simple, meaningful things in life. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren deeply and cherished the time she spent with them. She loved to laugh and believed there was always room for a good laugh—a “laugh a day” was part of her way of looking at life. Diane truly enjoyed a good baseball game- cheering on and supporting her husband, children, and grandchildren in the sport over the years. She also found beauty and peace in nature and loved traveling, especially in Colorado, Alaska, and Northern Minnesota, cherishing the memories made along the way with those she loved.

Diane was also a farm girl at heart. She loved the hard work of farm life, from tending her acre-sized garden and caring for Holstein cows to driving tractor and keeping up with the children. She embraced the work that came with raising a family and caring for a home and farm. She took pride in keeping a tidy home and in creating a welcoming place for her family.

Diane also worked at 3M for almost 30 years, where she formed many lasting relationships. She especially enjoyed training new employees and getting to know the people she worked with. The personal connections she made throughout her career were an important part of her life and remained meaningful to her.

Above all, Diane will be remembered for the love she gave her family, her sense of humor, her strong work ethic, her love of nature and travel, and the stories she carried and shared. Her legacy lives on in the generations of family who knew her love, laughter, and strength.

Diane is survived by her husband, Richard Wellmann; their six children, Richard (Rick) Wellmann, Larry Wellmann, Marie Wellmann, Michele Wellmann Edwards, Ryan Wellmann, and Robert Wellmann; 14 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and her sister and three brothers, Joan (Zwach) Holm, Allen Zwach, Lester Zwach, and James (Jim) Zwach.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvester Zwach, who passed away in October 2003, and Cecelia Zwach, who passed away in December 1995.

Diane will be deeply missed by her family and all who had the privilege of knowing her.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Minnesota State Parks or New Ulm Baseball Association.