Obituary: Town of Yorktown Supervisor Passes Away Just Days After Taking Office

YORKTOWN—The offices of the Town of Yorktown will be closed all day on Tuesday, Jan. 9 for the funeral of Town Supervisor Tom Diana, who passed away suddenly on Jan. 5 at the age of 66.

Diana, who had a long career in public service, first in law enforcement and later in town government, was sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2024 after securing an overwhelming victory in November.

Diana was born to the late Henry Paul Diana, and Maurine Audra Power Diana. He was born and raised in Shrub Oak and graduated from Lakeland High School in 1975. He then started his long career in public service as Putnam County Deputy Sheriff. After serving for Putnam County, he transferred to the Yorktown  Police Department as a part of the K9 Unit. Succeeding his employment there, he transferred to the Town of Cortlandt Police Department, where he became Patrol Commander Sergeant. He finished his law enforcement career in the Westchester County Police Department, retiring in March 2005. He was also a successful small business owner.

In terms of government service, Diana served as Town Councilman for Yorktown for seven years. He became the interim Town Supervisor for Yorktown and then was overwhelmingly elected as the current Yorktown Town Supervisor in November 2023.

Among his many civic accomplishments, Diana was an integral part of initiating the Yorktown Against Heroin Program. He was a member of many organizations including The Yorktown Elks, Circolo DaVinci Italian Club, and Sons of the American Legion.

He is survived by his devoted, loving wife Donna, daughter Megan, her husband, William, their children, Emma Marie and Gracie Lynn, his daughter, Brianna, her husband, Steven, and their children, Penelope Rose and Daisy Row. Family and friends will honor the life of Thomas at Yorktown Funeral Home today (Monday, Jan. 8) from 2 p.m. to 9 pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, with a burial to follow at Assumption Cemetery in Cortlandt Manor.

A host of area politicians offered tributes to Diana’s years of dedicated service to the community. Town of Yorktown Deputy Supervisor Ed Lachterman in announcing Diana’s passing on Jan. 5 said in a statement: ““With deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss for his wife Donna, his family and friends, and the entire Town of Yorktown, we regret to inform you of the tragic news that Yorktown Town Supervisor Tom Diana passed away this morning. Tom was an incredible friend to so many. He was filled with energy, an open mind and heart, and a sense of duty and that influenced everything he did. We will communicate with Yorktown residents as more details become available while we process this tragic moment for our community.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “It is with deep sorrow that I extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Yorktown Town Supervisor Tom Diana. Supervisor Diana’s dedicated service to our community, marked by his tenure as a former Westchester County Police Officer, leaves an indelible impact on the lives he touched. His commitment to public service and his leadership will be remembered with gratitude. In this time of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with Supervisor Diana’s family, friends and the entire Yorktown community as we mourn the loss of a respected public servant.”

Former Town of Yorktown Supervisor and current New York State Assemblyman Matt Slater stated: “Supervisor Tom Diana was a true public servant who was proud to call Yorktown his home. He was a terrific police officer and dedicated himself to serving the people of Yorktown on the Town Board. This is a true tragedy and a profound loss for our community. My prayers are with his wife Donna and his family.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler released a statement, saying, ““I’m heartbroken to hear of Tom’s passing. Over the past few years, I have gotten to know and work closely with Tom. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Yorktown and was dedicated to the cause of public service. His passing is not only a loss for the Yorktown community and his colleagues in government, but for his family, especially his wife Donna. We are keeping them all in our prayers. God Bless the Diana family.”