WILLEMSTAD - The well-known Curaçao writer Diana Melinda Lebacs passed away on Monday night. Lebacs was 75 years old. 

Lebacs wrote many children's books, both in Papiamento and in Dutch. One of her best-known books is the much-praised story 'Nancho van Bonaire'. Lebacs was also a school teacher for many years. In 2007 she was crowned Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau and in 2012 she received the literary prize Tapushi di Oro, or the Golden Ear of Corn. 

Lebacs passed away after a short illness.