Diane Nelson Earl

Diane Nelson Earl passed away peacefully on September 9, 2026 with her daughter, Barbara and her caretaker, Patricia by her side in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Diane was born in Las Vegas, NV on September 20, 1940 to Tommy and Grayce Nelson. She was the youngest child with one older sister, Barbara Jean. They lived in Boulder City, NV where her parents had moved so Tommy could work as a construction worker on Hoover Dam.

Diane enjoyed her childhood in Boulder City. She really liked going to Boulder City High School where she enjoyed being involved in so many clubs and activities. Her favorite was writing for the school newspaper, “The Eagle Inklings”.

She saved up her own babysitting money to attend college after HS graduation. She chose The University of Oklahoma and became a Sooner and loved every minute of her freshman year. Why did she choose OU? Because they were the number #1 football team in the nation at the time. Was Diane interested in football? No. But, she did love their Boomer Sooner fight song and became a loyal OU football fan the rest of her life.

After her freshman year at OU, she came home and applied for the 1959 Miss Nevada Beauty Pageant that summer, in hopes of winning a college scholarship. She did win 3rd place in the pageant and also won the Miss Congeniality award.

It was through a judge of that pageant that Diane Nelson met her future husband, Gary Earl, on a blind date. Two weeks and four days later, they were engaged. They were married just a few months later. They married in the St. George Temple on December 22, 1959. They were married for 55 happy and blessed years.

Diane also attended the University of Nevada-Reno. She graduated from UNLV as an educator. Diane used her education and her God-given talents and abilities to teach and educate many, many people. Her passion was positive thinking and health and she became a motivational speaker and lecturer to thousands.

A booking agent for the company “Activity Planners” was in the audience of one of Diane’s lectures that she was giving at a retirement community in the 1980’s. The booker in that audience booked talent to speak for conventions that were being held on the Las Vegas Strip. After that lecture, she contacted Diane to give a motivational speech to the wives that came to the conventions with their husbands. Diane did so well that she was able to become a regular motivational speaker in the Las Vegas convention circuit for many years. She also wrote many lectures and classes on positive thinking and health and would give those in the community for decades.

Diane served in many church callings throughout her lifetime membership as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She found joy in serving in many different ways. Some of her favorites were Primary teacher, Primary chorister, Relief Society teacher, RS president and RS counselor, Stake RS president, Choir director, Asst. Temple Matron with Gary as he was serving in the Las Vegas Temple presidency. She also spoke at countless church activities in the Las Vegas valley throughout her whole adult life.

Diane has always had a strong testimony and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, from a young age. She was His disciple in sharing that testimony and love with everyone she met. Diane was a friend to all.

Diane is survived by two daughters - Barbara Van Buskirk (Chad) and Bridget Pehrson (Bret). Six grandsons - David (Manny), Daniel (Sara), Dallin (Stephanie), Holden Grey, William and Andrew. Five great grandsons, three great granddaughters, and many extended family members. Diane loved being a wife, mom, aunt, grandma/nama, great grandma and friend.

Funeral services will be held at the LDS Sloan Chapel, 1707 S. Sloan Lane in Las Vegas on Friday, September 25th. Viewing from 9:45 to 10:40 a.m. Funeral services at 11 a.m. Burial at 3:30 p.m. at Palm Boulder City Mausoleum at 551 Adams Blvd in Boulder City, NV.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Foundation Assisting Seniors www.foundationassistingseniors.org (donate button is at the top right of website)