Missoula – Diane Romero passed from this world on March 8, 2018 after a fierce, yearlong battle with cancer. She was a fighter to the end and exceeded the time her doctors had expected. Her will to live was an inspiration to many.
Born March 10, 1947 to Lyndell (Bud) and Frances Cote of Victor, she attended Victor Schools, participating in many activities, and graduated in 1965. Being a farmer’s daughter was not the life she envisioned for herself and she went on to live in many states, finally settling in Playa Vista, California. She loved the ocean environment, watching dolphins and sunsets on the beach, and riding her Pedego electric bike on long excursions.
She married Louis D. Romero in October 1966 and became a proud mother to Cameron and Raquel whom she dearly loved and often commented on their accomplishments. This union dissolved and several years later she married Jesse Garcia, a jockey whose work took them to many places, finally settling in Kentucky. They remained the best of friends even after they divorced.
Always a dedicated and hard-working person, she wore many hats through her years of employment. She was in banking, mutual betting clerk at horse race tracks, bar tender, American Airlines reservations, and certified as a limousine driver in LA. She also volunteered at Cedars-Sinai hospital in the Neo-Natal unit. Meeting new people was a constant joy for her and she had several very close friends in LA who are missing her laughter.
She is survived by her children, Cameron of Park City, UT and Raquel (Michael Wood) of Flagstaff, AZ, sisters Carol Schreier of Stevensville, Virginia Rae (Rebecca and Ryan) of Long Beach, CA and Michelle Kuntz (Roy) of Florence, MT. Also, her beloved grandchildren Aspen, Carson and Chase.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyndell and Frances Cote.
Special thanks for her caregiver Liz Houston of Missoula Elder Care and Consumer Direct Hospice for their care and compassion during the short time we had her home with her family. We were blessed to have her home with us to spend a few last days together as family.
Whitesitt Funeral Home is attending to preparations and a small memorial service will be held later this spring. Memorials can be made to any animal service organization of your choice. She loved nature and all of God’s creations. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.