Diana Barnato Walker Tribute

I remember the first time I saw her sitting in my grandparents Living room in Kirkland Washington. I was between nine and eleven years old, and had just walked home from school and was introduced to her. My grandmother Thurber said this is Diana, she is your grandfather cousin from England. I looked at my grandmother with question in my eyes and she said, "She is your cousin too". I was blown our of the water. I thought, wait I have family in England. I sat on the couch and talked with her about england and her house and her horses. She told me about the fox hunts and her being a master of the hounds and leading the pack. I sat in awe of her, this woman who had lived a life so full and with so much service, I wanted to grow up to be like her. She talked about me going over to England with my grandparent and staying with her during the summer, however that never happened. Don't get me wrong it had nothing to do with her, my life just got to busy. Then June 1984, I was in a boating accident and a few months later my grandfather Pomeroy Falk Thurber passed away. I will never forget Diana, she made me hope, wonder and cling to my dreams I still hope to someday make it to England, and see the wonder she talked about.
Judy Fortier-Sanchez