Diane Juracek

Diane Bannerman Juracek, 68, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2025, at Neuvant House in Lawrence, Kansas. The cause of death was Alzheimer's.

She was born on April 14, 1957, in Rochester, New York. Following a brief stay in Michigan, she grew up in Chatsworth, California.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (magna cum laude) in 1979 from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California, she worked at Camarillo State Hospital which served people with both mental illness and developmental disabilities. Then she was off to Lawrence, Kansas, and the University of Kansas to attend graduate school. While there she earned her Master of Arts degree in Human Development in 1987. She went on to earn her PhD in Developmental and Child Psychology in 1991.

During her graduate school years she began working for Community Living Opportunities (CLO) (now GoodLife Innovations), a nonprofit organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities and children with autism. She worked for CLO for more than 30 years serving in various capacities including as a Direct Support Professional (teacher), Director of Behavioral Services, and Director of Training and Quality Assurance. She was a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.

In 1990 she married Kyle Juracek. They had a wonderful life together.

Diane was an amazing person. She was always positive, always smiling, and always eager to help people. She was also a wonderful loving wife and mother. The world was a better place because she was in it.

She is survived by her husband Kyle Juracek (Lawrence, Kansas), her son Brandon Juracek (Kansas City, Missouri), her brother Brett Bannerman (Canyon Country, California), her brother Mike Bannerman (Saugus, California), and her brother Craig Bannerman (Valencia, California).

There will be a Celebration of Life for Diane on July 12, 2025, from 3-5 pm, at Arterra in Lawrence, Kansas.