Dee lived a life that was meant to be participated in.

She was curious, adventurous and creative. She was always planning an event, putting together a show, organizing a trip or finding a new way to bring people together. Those who knew Dee knew that sitting still was never really her specialty.

Born September 30, 1957, to Bill and Wilma McQuade, Dee grew up in Pittsburg, Kansas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech and Theatre, with a minor in Psychology, from Pittsburg State University.

At the center of Dee’s life was her husband, Jeff.

Dee and Jeff shared more than four decades of marriage, building a life together filled with family, friendship, world travel, laughter and a tremendous number of adventures. Together, they raised a large blended family of seven children. Over the years, that family grew to include many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, creating a legacy that Dee treasured deeply.

Theater was not merely one of Dee’s interests. It was part of her identity.

For more than 25 years, Dee was deeply involved with Joplin Little Theatre, one of the communities that became a second home to her and her family. Alongside Jeff, she wrote, directed, acted and stage-managed countless productions. Theater gave Dee a place to create, to entertain and, perhaps most importantly, to bring people together.

After moving to Indiana in 2013, Dee quickly found another theater family through Carmel Community Players, Westfield Playhouse and the broader Central Indiana theater community.

Dee’s passion for connecting people extended far beyond the theater.

In 1997, she developed Freeman Advantage at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. Through the program, Dee organized activities, travel, educational programs and social opportunities designed to help older adults remain engaged with their communities. Perhaps one of the most remarkable parts of that legacy is that Freeman Advantage continues today in the Joplin community.

In 2013, Dee and Jeff began a new adventure in Westfield, Indiana, where their community involvement flourished. They continued to build friendships, participate in the arts and find new adventures together.

She continued that same spirit of service and connection through PrimeLife Enrichment in Carmel, Indiana. No matter where she was or what she was doing, Dee had a remarkable ability to connect people and create a sense of community.

In more recent years, Dee and Jeff discovered a new community through their shared love of whiskey. What began as another interest became yet another collection of friendships, stories and good times, another example of Dee’s ability to turn an interest into a community.

Above everything else, Dee loved her family.

Dee and Jeff’s blended family included seven children. Dee is survived by her husband, Jeff; her children, Michael, Justin, Billy, Holly, Jerimy and Cassie; her sisters, Bonnie and Donna; her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a large extended family and circle of friends who loved her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Wilma McQuade; her brother, Bill McQuade, and her son, Luke Timi.

Dee leaves behind more than memories. She leaves behind the people she brought together, the communities she helped build, the stages she helped fill, the adventures she shared and the countless lives she touched simply by being fully present in them.

Bartlett-Heritage is honored to serve the family of Dianna Lynne Timi.