AnonymousWith sadness we announce the death of Diane Evelyn Thompson from natural causes at the age of 84. She passed away in the early morning hours of August 22nd, 2019 surrounded by family.
Born Diane Evelyn Finrow on November 4 1934 in Walla Walla WA, she was the youngest of five siblings born to Alice and Vernon Finrow. In 1938 the family moved to Seattle WA. Where she went to school, graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1952. While attending Seattle Pacific University in 1954 she met Jerry Thompson and they were married in 1956.
After brief stops in Minneapolis Minn. (where son David was born in 1957) and San Jose CA. (where son Douglas was born in 1958), the family moved to Solvang CA. in 1961. Her third son Daniel was born in 1964.
For the next twenty years she devoted all her love and attention to family. She helped and supported Jerry as he created and ran a nationwide commercial real estate development company, while making sure that her boys were happy and thriving. In 1971 the family moved to Montecito CA.
After the last of her sons was off to college she accepted a modeling contract with the LaBelle modeling agency. Friends she made in that line of work lead to an even more fulfilling decades long career in the travel business, first as an agent for “Ask Mr. Foster” travel agency in Santa Barbara and then “Viking travel” in Solvang. This was a job that fit her personality perfectly. While she liked to travel, she genuinely loved meeting new people and hearing their life stories. She had a gift for engaging with people. Whether you met her on cruise ship, a bus trip across Europe, or at the agency desk, what might normally be a brief encounter between strangers would result in hours of conversation.
In the mid 1980’s she and Jerry bought a ranch in the Alisos canyon area where they planted a vineyard and raised cattle along with their son David and his wife Lisa. With the rest of the family nearby, including three grandchildren, she took great pleasure in hosting countless family gatherings and holidays over the last 30 years. During these years she and Jerry continued to travel the world, while also buying a residence in her childhood home of Seattle where they spent months each year with family and friends.
She was a talented painter in her later years, and a voracious reader.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years Jerry Thompson, son David Thompson (Lisa) of Walla Walla WA., Douglas Thompson of Santa Barbara, Dan Thompson (Ana) of San Luis Obispo, and grandchildren Lucas, Logan, and Lea, as well as many nieces and nephews. In the last years of her life she was so fortunate to have the excellent professional and loving care of Leslie Martinez Romero and Evelyn Ruiz Campos, both of Los Alamos CA.
We love you and miss you Mom, rest in peace.
