Harry and Diane were among the founding volunteer astronomy rangers here at Bryce Canyon National Park -- the flagship national park for public astronomy. On behalf of Bryce Canyon National Park and all of the other national parks who have emulated the tradition of "the astronomy voluteer" we thank them for their high standards for science-education and hospitality and we share in this celebration of Diane's life by adding our fond memories and our sympathy.

On a personal note, I will always be grateful for a small but memorable act of kindness Diane showed me while being invited to present at the Oregon Star Party. I had my 3 young sons, in-tow and they were NOT on their best behavior being road weary from the long drive in from Utah.  Nevertheless, Diane took them under her wing, saw that they got dinner, and entertained them long into the night so that I could give my presentation and meet other astronomers as Harry toured me around the camp.

Being a single parent at the time, that meant the world me. Thank you Diane.   

(as told by Linda Colvin)
Vicki and Dan were visiting Skip and Diane over Christmas and I decided to go up for the family event (2001). At the time Miranda was about five months old.  Vicki and Dan needed a break, so they went to a movie and left the baby with Diane, Skip and I.  They also left us some breast milk and a contraption to warm it and bottles to put it in.  We were instructed if the baby cried, to give her a bottle.  Well she cried right after they left.  DIane and I carried her into the kitchen to 'make a bottle' - how hard could it be? Well, we couldn't figure out how to get the milk warmed and into the bottle. Neither of us had ever had a baby!  Skip stuck his head in the kitchen for about a second, looked around, and said "I'm outta here - you guys deal with it". We were frantically trying to get the milk in the warm bottle all while trying to calm down this screaming infant.   I don't really remember what happened but I had Miranda and all of a sudden a geyser of breast milk appeared and fell all over Diane.  She was really grossed out and left the room right away leaving me with the baby.  Skip and I just laughed and laughed as we tried to keep Miranda from screaming. Luckily Vicki and Dan came home pretty soon after.  We told them everything went fine.

Diane initially wanted nothing to do with cats.  She grew up on a farm where cats lived in the barn, caught rodents and were not considered pets.   In 1991 somehow my Dad convinced her to let him bring home twin grey kittens.  She set many, many conditions on this arrangement.  (1) No cats except in the lower level (2) no cats in the bedroom (3) no cats in the kitchen (4) harry has to feed and clean them etc ... As my Dad reports she said "This is your gig, I don't want to take care of them".

The day he brought the kittens home he dutifully made sure there was a barrier to keep them from most of the house.  He recalls Diane initially scowling at the little grey balls of fur, but after about an hour Diane had the barrier down.  "They are so cute" she said happily.  Then Diane went out and bought fifty dollars worth of cat toys and the next day said "Well, maybe we will let them be upstairs a little bit in the evening".  All the other rules became moot within about a day and Diane became  a fierce cat lover.

Ashley and Priscilla loved Diane. They would sleep literally on top of her on the boat, never my dad for example. Harry and Diane both doted on those cats.  They dressed them up in sailor outfits and took them out on the boat; they took hundreds of cat photos and submitted them to cat calendars - and got the pictures published (!)  As the cats grew old and eventually died, Diane mourned their loss deeply.  Diane told my dad "If you go before me, or for some reason we are ever not together, I'll definitely still have cats". 

Harry and Diane went with their daughter Vicki's family to ski in Lake Louise in Canada - the year was around 1998.  It was an incredibly cold ski year and everyone had a great time skiing the ice at Lake Louise.  One night Vicki and her then husband Dan begged off of Harry and Diane's invitation to go on a night ski.  Apparently 'night skiing' in Canada is code for 'wild partying followed by stumbling down the mountain'.  After much merriment at the top of the mountain, Harry reported Diane was dancing on the table in her ski boots. (I know, it seems unlike the calm and measured woman most of us knew).  They made it down in one piece on skis no less, carrying torches.  They came away with a story that Harry could tell for years (and did) while Diane rolled her eyes in the background.