Paul George Diener, 81, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Paul was born on July 24, 1944, in Crvenka, Serbia, in a German-speaking village, to the late George Diener and Christine Noll Diener. His early life was marked by significant hardship; at the end of World War II, he was interned in a communist concentration camp alongside his mother and older sister. After their escape, the family made their way to a refugee camp in Munich before immigrating to the United States in 1951, settling in Mansfield, Ohio.

Paul served in the United States Army and attended The Ohio State University, graduating in 1968. His pride in his alma mater remained strong throughout his life, and he was a devoted Buckeyes fan.

On March 21, 1970, Paul married Lynette Louise Diener, and together they shared 56 years of marriage, raising three daughters. His professional career led the family to live in Ohio and New Hampshire before ultimately settling in Raleigh, North Carolina. Paul spent many years with Nortel Networks, where he worked until his retirement in 2005.

Paul found great joy in caring for his home and surroundings. He was an avid gardener who took pride in maintaining his lawn. He also had a lifelong passion for photography and rarely traveled without one of his Nikon cameras in hand. In later years, he became an enthusiastic cyclist and enjoyed long rides and many miles on his racing bike.

In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his sisters, Alwine Stull and Peggy Stoughton.

He is survived by his loving wife, Lynette; his daughters, Leslee Diener Black (Matthew), Brooke Diener Pederson (Derek), and Stacee Diener Pfeifer; his cherished grandchildren, Noah Black, Carter Black, Dylan Pederson, Sutton Pederson, Logan Pfeifer, and Laney Pfeifer; and his godchildren, Parker Coggins and Cole Coggins.

The family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love, support, and kindness during this difficult time.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Paul’s memory may be made to Ways to Give | Support the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA).