Diane Shattuck

Diane Shattuck passed away peacefully after a life centered on family, love, and time spent together. She was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend whose greatest joy came from caring for those she loved.

Diane was born in 1940 in upstate New York to Ray and Vera Jensen. In 1943, the family moved to California so Ray could pursue a career in the food service industry, where he found lasting success. Diane grew up in Pasadena, attended John Muir High School, and later UCLA, where she met her future husband, Forrest Shattuck.

Diane and Forrest married in January 1960 and began building a life together in Orange, California. Their first son, Scott, was born that November, followed by Steve in July 1964. In 1967, they moved into a newer home in Orange, where Diane lived for the next 57 years. Near the end of her life, she moved to an assisted living community in Tustin, where she received full-time care.

While Scott and Steve were growing up, Diane was a full-time mother, creating a home filled with love, family traditions, and celebrations. Later, she worked for the local school district and as an office manager for a medical practice, but her family always remained her first priority.

She believed the best moments in life were shared. She organized neighborhood Fourth of July celebrations with friends, made sure birthdays and holidays brought everyone together, and welcomed every opportunity to gather as a family.

Diane enjoyed cooking, and the kitchen was often the heart of the home. The cookie jar was almost always filled with homemade cookies, though they rarely lasted long with Scott, Steve, and Forrest happily helping themselves.

She loved being a grandmother. She treasured taking her three grandchildren to the family’s cabin at Big Bear Lake, where many lasting memories were made. Summer beach vacations, camping trips, and family drives in the motorhome became traditions she looked forward to each year. During those trips, Forrest would often find her sitting beside a mountain stream with her feet in the cool water, enjoying the quiet beauty of nature.

She was an enthusiastic gardener who could often be found at a local nursery or working in her flower beds. Whether at home or at the cabin, she enjoyed starting each morning outside with a cup of coffee, sharing the peaceful hours with the birds and other garden visitors that kept her company.

Diane loved animals, and the family’s dogs were never just pets—they were part of the family. Through the years they joined Diane and Forrest on camping trips, visits to Big Bear, and many other adventures, always cherished companions.

Diane embraced the interests of those she loved, from family trips to Big Bear to classic cars, UCLA sports, and outdoor adventures. More than the destinations themselves, she treasured simply being together.

She is survived by her two sons and their spouses, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Diane will be remembered for the love she gave so freely, the traditions she created, and the home she made for generations of her family. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her—and perhaps even by the little critters who joined her for coffee each morning in the garden she loved.