I met Diane Christmas 1964/65 and I was left stunned, I think it was then that I fell in love with her. Diane had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen, so full of life and intelligent, we became best friends. Diane became secretary to the Principle of the South Australian Teachers college a job which Diane loved. Unfortunately, when we were married she had to leave because at that time married women were not allowed to be members of the South Australian Public service. So then Diane joined Hartford Monarch, the largest insurance company in Australia, as the personal assistant to the CEO. When we returned to the United Kingdom where in Eastbourne Diane join Birdseye Foods as personal assistant to the Commercial Manager and later personal assistant to the General Manager. In 1974 our son Paul was born and two years our daughter Carrie joined us. After Carrie was born we moved to Cornwall and Diane took up netball again.
Diane loved sport especially team sports. In Australia Diane played for two teams, Elizabeth North and Topcats, a winter and a summer team. Playing at Centre and Wing Attack Diane captained both teams to league champions. Late when we had moved to Cornwall Diane joined the St Ives netball club and played for both teams and became captain of both teams plus club captain. Later Diane was recruited by Falmouth Netball Club while at Falmouth Diane was also asked to try for Cornwall.
Diane has always loved to learn. Diane was an expert on Renaissance art, the life of Virginia Wolf and her work. She really enjoyed Chinese brush painting and the work and attention to detail Diane put into building of her two wooden model boats was truly incredible.
Another area that Diane was fascinated by was natural history specifically birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, wild flowers and trees. However, the most important part of Diane’s life was her two children, Paul and Carrie and her grand daughters, Daisy and Helen, Diane adored all four of them!
One of the biggest surprises I have had was the way Diane took to pets, she loved her two Snowshoe cats Treasure and Tom and towards the end of her life Strummer our daughter Carrie’s dog.
I am going to miss the love of my life and my best friend, I feel a light has gone and the world has got darker!
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