Diane Austin Dyatt Collins Taylor

My Dearest Friends, As I embark on my final cruise, I want to share the experiences of my life with you. I was born in Burbank, California in 1941 and was involved with Girl Scouts, Job's Daughters and attended various schools in the San Fernando Valley, northwest of Los Angeles, ultimately graduating from Reseda High School in 1959. After I graduated high school, I joined the Eastern Star chapter to which my mother belonged. It was at an Eastern Star Social that I met Richard Dyatt and we married February 25, 1961. Following our marriage we lived in Reseda until 1964 when we bought a house in Thousand Oaks, California. We had three sons, Dean, Dwayne and David. With 3 active, growing boys we needed more space so in 1969 we moved to Camarillo, California. We had attended a variety of Christian churches with our little family and in 1974 became friends with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who invited us to listen to the missionary discussions. Richard, the boys and I were baptized on January 25, 1975. I have loved my work in the Relief Society, but I especially loved being a leader in the Young Women's program, working with the wonderful young ladies and the experiences we shared at girl's camp. Wanting to enjoy a life in the country, in the summer 1975 our family completed a plan that had been in motion for 2 years by moving to Bonners Ferry, Idaho. We lived in a small house less than 2 miles from the Canadian border but found country life to be more challenging than we had expected and so returned to Thousand Oaks in sunny southern California the following year. Since my early childhood and continuing into my married years, I had been on many family vacations in the western United States and Canada. Having developed a love of visiting new places, I became a travel agent and have enjoyed visiting many new places all over the world but especially Europe and islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. After 28 years, my marriage with Richard ended and I moved to Los Angeles where I studied to became a massage therapist. After completing my training I started a mobile massage business with my portable massage table. I eventually moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana and it was there I met Gene Collins and we married on April 15, 2001. Gene and I were able to travel the world plus we enjoyed taking trips to car shows to display Gene's T-Bucket hot rod. After Gene passed away from cancer in 2005, I decided to move to Utah in order to be closer to my sons & their families. I've always enjoyed raising animals and over the years have had a variety of animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, chickens, geese, parrots, peacocks and kids (of the goat variety that is, although the boys sometimes acted like animals). While in Lake Charles I had a dog grooming business which I continued after moving to Utah. For the last ten years I've been breeding AKC registered toy poodles. I was always a little sad when one of my puppies left but I made sure it was to a good home. In 2006 I met Hal Taylor at a square dance and after a brief romance we married in the Mount Timpanogos Temple on June 30, 2007 after which we settled in Sandy, Utah. Hal and I have enjoyed working together in the Draper Temple. I have loved my life in Utah and being able to watch my grandchildren grow. I am sad about the family I am leaving behind including; My big brother Lynn Austin & his wife Linda of Atascadero, California and my older half-sister Phyllis Blanton of Grove, Oklahoma. I will also miss my children, their wives and my grandchildren: Dean, his wife Diane of Fruit Heights, Utah and their son Michael of San Luis Obispo, California; Dwayne of Sandy, Utah and his daughters Madyson Schmeltz of Thousand Oaks, California and Jessica Dyatt of Santa Barbara, California; David, his wife Renae and their children Jacob, Megan, Kaily and Lauren in West Jordan, Utah. My step-children and grandchildren from my marriage with Gene Collins; Kevin Collins and his children Candace & Cortney of Lake Charles, Louisana Sheila Hungerford, her husband Richie and their daughter Kristen of Lake Charles, Louisana My step-children and grandchildren with Hal Taylor: Gary, his wife Kimberly, Amber, Jodi, Zachary, Celeste of Wausau, Wisconsin Jenny, her husband Dennis Hinojos and their children, Matthew & Hollie of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania; Jalane Cline, her husband Scott and their children, Jessica Evenson and her husband Spencer of New Jersey, Sabrina & Jacob of American Fork, Utah; Gaylan, his wife Polly, and their children, Riley, Ariana, Kaitlyn of Peoria, Arizona and my former husband Richard Dyatt and his wife Vicky of Thousand Oaks, California. However I'm glad I'll be reunited with my parents Charles & Conetta (Ernest) Austin along with my older half-brother Lee (Bud) Austin. If you would like to stop by and wish me a Bon Voyage, please join my family & friends at the LDS Chapel at 89 East 11000 South, Sandy, Utah during the following times: Tuesday evening (1/31) between 6:00 to 8:00 pm (Viewing) Wednesday morning (2/1) from 9:30 to 10:45 am (Viewing) A celebration of my life will begin at 11 a.m. with a nearby graveside service following the celebration. In lieu of flowers, my family is accepting donations to the Diane Austin Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund.