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Obituary for Dianne Marie Willian
Dianne Marie Willian, 87, of Brookings, Oregon; passed away on December 10, 2019. Dianne was born in Columbus, Wisconsin, to Frances Mae Stevenson and John Kyle Eccles.
Dianne graduated from Whiteland High School, Whiteland, Indiana in 1950. Dianne attended two years of college at Indiana University where she majored in nursing. Education was important to Dianne, and she was always interested in discovering something new. Whether it was taking Spanish classes at the local junior college or working on her stack of Great Courses she was always studying or learning.
While in college Dianne met and married her husband David Eugene Willian. They were married 63 years. David preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Donna Pickett.
After college, David and Dianne moved to Chico, California in 1963, where they lived until the early 2000’s. Dianne stayed busy raising four children, doing bookkeeping at David’s office, volunteering in the Dental Wives Auxiliary, serving in various capacities in her church, sewing, quilting, gardening and always writing letters.
Dianne always loved Brookings and was happy to make it her full-time home in 2014 after many years of living there part-time.
We were blessed to have learned many valuable lessons from Dianne during her 87 years. Among those lessons: Never throw anything away, you many find a use for it later. She left behind a lot of stuff for her daughter and sons, who have no idea what to do with all of it.
She taught us to: look after the lonely; take a cold drink or cookie to the person working out in the heat; take magazines you’ve read to friends; help the single parent struggling with kids at church; give the extra bed to the young family trying to make ends meet; always send a thank you note; call and check on friends; take care of friendships and stay in touch; and most importantly, watch out for sneaker waves when you are at the beach.
Dianne’s greatest joy and accomplishment in life was her family. She is survived by four children; Mark Willian (Mary) of Fair Oaks, California; David Willian of Bloomington, Indiana; Ann Lewis (Dale Sargent) of Springfield, Missouri; Evan Willian (Tammy) of Pittsburg, Texas. Dianne was a devoted grandmother to Kate, Monica, Charla, Lissi, Rachel, Bethie, Davy, Melissa, Ryan, Nicole, Stephanie, Kayla and Marisa. Dianne also loved and adored her 15 great grandchildren. Dianne’s spirit is carried on by her posterity.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. January 11, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 770 Elk Drive, Brookings, Oregon. Burial will follow at Ward Memorial Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at www.redwoodmemorial.net.
In Dianne’s memory donations may be made to the Brookings Harbor Food Bank, at P.O. Box 1415, Brookings, Oregon, 97415.
