CROGHAN – Mindi Jean Diaz, 48, died at her home on Friday morning, November 5, 2021.

Mindi was born on April 22, 1973, in Watertown to the daughter of Gary Piche and the late Carolyn Lajoie.

After graduating from high school, Mindi found her passion in helping others, specifically working with disabled individuals, elder individuals, and kids. Mindi spent time with her father in Mexico building churches and helping children. Mindi also spent some time in Connecticut caring for a lovely lady where her passion of helping others grew even bigger, which brought her back home to New York. Mindi worked for Disabled Persons Action Organization along with being a Home Health Aid for many years. Mindi faced life's challenges with great strength, courage, and hope.

As a child, Mindi was fierce. She was an amazing gymnast and taught her little sister Nina all about gymnastics. Nina would watch her big sister go down the stairs on her hands and was always amazed at what she would do next. Often protecting her cousin Jessica when her brother Juston picked on her, Mindi did not let anyone mess with her family even if it was family picking on family. This especially rang true towards her younger siblings. Although Mindi was smaller than everyone else, she was feisty in nature. She truly took on the role of older sister and mother with many that knew her. Mindi's wit and sarcasm could make even the saddest person laugh.

Mindi found her love of being a mom to Lainee and Kaiden. They both lit up her world and she taught them strength.  As Lainee and Kaiden grew she fortified within them, resilience, wit, and how to face challenges head on.

During her last few years Mindi spent time with her fiancé Richie enjoying a plethora of land, two dogs, a rabbit, and two cats. She was especially fond of her cat Herbie, Ritchie loved Mindi, made her laugh, gave her spunk right back, but most of all helped take care of her in her last few years on earth. He even built her a barn that was to house her goats and many more animals. If it were up to Mindi she would have had more animals than people in her life. Her love of dragonflies brought Mindi a sense of peace knowing she was always surrounded by her mother's presence.

She is survived by; her children, Lainee & Kaiden Diaz; her fiancé, Richard Peters, her sister, Nina Harrigan; her brother, Juston Lajoie; her brother, Cameron Harrigan, and sister, Nicole Dorr, her brothers, Troy, Aaron, and Dylan Piche, her sister, Destiny Piche, her father, Gary and stepmother Renee Piche, her great grandmother, Marie Piche, eleven nephews, eight nieces, two great nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Mindi is predeceased by her mother, Carolyn E. Lajoie, a maternal grandmother and grandfather, paternal grandfather, a brother, Chad Piche, a nephew, Tavy Trav, aunts, uncles, cousins, and her forever fur baby Twinkie.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, November 19 ^th , 2021, at 5:00pm promptly at Christian Life Center, NYS Rte. 12E, Chaumont, NY 12749

In lieu of Calling hours due to COVID-19, A Celebration of Life will be announced for the summer of 2022.