Diana was born on January 31, 1942, in The Dalles, Oregon, to Myron Dell Grant and Merle Burton Bennett. Her dad worked for Morrison-Knudson Company building railroad tresses and bridges, so they traveled a lot. When Diana was four months old, her father was killed in a tragic accident. Four years later, her mother married Thomas William Matthews who became a loving father to Diana.
Diana graduated from Burley High School and went on to Brigham Young University, where she earned her associate’s degree in business technology. This always made her children laugh as her technology for Mom ended at the electric typewriter. Even up until her graduation from this life, she could not quite grasp the difference between texting and e-mailing. We used to compare texting to Western Union telegrams and e-mails to letters in the mail, but she never could quite get it. We loved that this would happen!
While at BYU, Diana married David Elliott Hale in the Idaho Falls Temple. After their BYU graduations, they moved to Concord, California. Eight children would join their family in California. She was always proud of the fact that in the end they kept the number even—four boys and four girls. Due to Dad’s work, Mom and us children experienced moves to Miami, Florida; and then to South Jordan, Utah. Every move brought with it challenges but Mom worked hard to make the new house a home and help us children get settled in school, our ward family, and other various activities. The move to South Jordan finally brought Mom something she had always wanted—to live closer to extended family, as family was everything to Mom. Even though her marriage to Dad ended in divorce, she always had her children’s love and support as she made her own mark on the world.
Mom was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in several callings wherever she lived. She loved each ward she was in and through the relationships she made, each ward became like family. She loved to be of service and to help those she could. Amidst her hands being full with us children, she never stopped serving, and that was an example to her children.
Mom was a woman of many talents. Whether it was through Relief Society or through her friends, she was constantly learning new things and developing new talents. She made excellent bread all while we were growing up. For her, it was a money saver. For us, it was a treat, especially when she would sacrifice one loaf-worth of dough to make scones. She loved to sew, bake, crochet, quilt, toll-paint crafts, artistic wood cutting, and anything else she was exposed to. But most of all, she loved her family and being around us. When her children started to marry and grandchildren started to come, that is really when Mom came into her element. She cherished the name of “Grandma” and was just coming to terms with the fact she was a great-grandma.
Mom is preceded in death by her mom and both dads, two children—Bradley and Wendy, as well as her granddaughter, Brynn. She is survived by her children—Brian and Tena Hale (Salt Lake City, UT), Alisa Hale (Millcreek, UT), Brett and Becky Hale (Layton, UT), Kevin and Tenille Hale (Herriman, UT), Janine and Jason Bowler (South Jordan, UT) and Joni Hale (Leeds, UT)—17 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren, as well as her three siblings and their spouses.
We would like to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Jen Wilburn, Jacque Palmer, Pam Jenkins, and many others at Auburn Crest Home Health and Hospice for their tender care of Mom during the last year. They have been wonderful to her and a terrific support to her children.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 7th at 11:00 a.m. at the Skyview Ward meeting house located at 1361 East 4000 South, Millcreek. Friends may visit with the family that morning from 9:00-10:45 a.m. in the Relief Society Room prior to the funeral. Interment will take place at the Kaysville City Cemetery where many of her mother’s family are also buried.
The funeral will be webcast on the Wasatch Lawn website: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcxNzExMTgyODMxMTY2MyZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==
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