Thursday, October 1, 2026
Diane Lee Clark, 84, passed away with family by her side on Friday, March 6, 2026. Diane was born at home in Chelan Falls, Washington, on April 28, 1941. She remembered her childhood at Lake Chelan fondly, sharing stories of spending long leisurely days at the lake, teaching the tourists how to swim and playing with her siblings. She described a modest upbringing, raised by a single mother, Wylla. Diane appreciated the love and adventures she shared with her family, her older sister, Movita, her younger brother Dick, and her half-siblings Bruce and Mildred. These modest beginnings shaped her future perspective with an appreciation for hard work and savoring one’s successes. Her mother later took a job in Seattle, and Diane, Movita, and Dick moved to Wenatchee. Diane attended Wenatchee High School, where many of her most important relationships were formed. She met her lifelong friends Susie Dexter and Diane Gilliland. She also met her husband, Robert “Bob” Clark, there and they were married in Wenatchee in June of 1960.
After Bob finished junior college in Wenatchee, they moved to Seattle, where Diane worked at the American Heart Association to put Bob through school at the University of Washington, a point of great pride for her. Diane and Bob’s family grew when they welcomed sons John and Eric. They also lost a daughter Julie between the birth of the two boys. Diane experienced another loss when her husband Bob passed away suddenly at the age of 44.
After Bob’s death, Diane took over running their company, TMP, with the generous assistance of her brother-in-law, Bill Clark. She later sold TMP and started another successful company, Sterling Pacific. Diane took great pride in her academic accomplishments and shared her frustrations with the lack of opportunities available to women of her era. Her success in business was very validating. Diane was also active in her community, volunteering for many years at Northwest Hospital and with the Edmonds Police Department.
Diane loved sports and anything competitive. She participated in all high school sports available to girls at the time. She spent many weekends at Crystal Mountain, where Bob was on the ski patrol. Her true sports love was tennis. After joining Harbor Square Athletic Club when it first opened, her passion for the sport only grew. She made many great friends at the club. Her tennis group was the USTA league 6.0 super senior age group national champions in 2011. Her love of tennis overlapped with her love of travel. She attended the US Open, the French Open and Wimbledon, among other tournaments. She also especially loved visiting Maui, where she and Bob first went in 1981, and she returned many times over the next 40 years.
Through her high school reunions she reconnected with a former classmate, Robert “Mick” LaFollette. They shared many special trips, celebrations and adventures until Mick passed away in 2024.
Diane loved spending time with her two grandsons, Mason and Dylan. She helped babysit them as toddlers, delighted in attending their school and sporting events, and loved them both dearly. She took much pride in them and loved to jokingly take credit for their academic and athletic successes, saying “you got that from Grandma D.”
Diane was later diagnosed with dementia. She dealt with her illness with grace, humor and her trademark stubbornness. She achieved her wish to remain in her home in Edmonds until the very end. She was particularly fond of her caregiving companion, Alisi. Our family so appreciates Alisi’s kindness, understanding and respect for Diane.
Diane is survived by her sons, John and Eric, her daughters-in-law, Lynn and Shamra, and her two grandsons, Mason and Dylan, as well as her sister-in-law, Teddy Clark, and many nieces and nephews.
We invite friends of Diane to her celebration of life in Edmonds in the private room at Anthony’s Beach Cafe, 456 Admiralty Way, at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 14. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Edmonds Food Bank.
