Diane Lorraine Gates, age 79, of Lynden, passed away early Sunday morning Jan. 27, 2019, at the Christian Health Care Center of Lynden with Hospice Care.
Diane was born May 5, 1939, in Seattle to parents Myron Harold and Ruth Unetta (Kerr) Nordlund.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 34 years, Robert (Bob) Gates of Lynden; sister MaryLou Sillers and husband John of Richland; daughters Kimberly Langford/Tevelde of Everson, Lori Hoepner and husband Lance of Southern Pines, North Carolina; her husband’s children Richard Gates of Boston, Steve Gates of Burlington, Washington, and Brian Gates and wife Lisa of Pensacola, Florida; grandchildren Whitney Bass and husband Nicholas of Durham, North Carolina, Lindsey Hoepner of Southern Pines, North Carolina, Dustin Westhoff of Sumas, Devin Olesen of Portland, Bradley Gates of Bellingham, Bailey and Tanner Gates of Burlington, Lauren and Savannah Gates of Pensacola; and four great-grandchildren.
Diane was a loving wife, sister, mother, grandmother and friend who will be missed beyond words by all who knew and loved her. Her sense of adventure and mischievous sense of humor would bring laughter and delight to anyone lucky enough to share her presence. She was a true county girl through and through who found her greatest pleasure while tending to her many gardens over the years, canning, cooking, traveling, boating and spending time with her family and many friends. She had a deep love of horses, volunteering many years in the Clydesdale barns at the Lynden fair. She worked most of her career in the Nooksack Valley High School system and U.S. Customs Border Patrol in Blaine and Lynden. Anyone who knew this amazing lady would know how she waited each winter for “the snow to come,” as well as her amazing and gorgeous sunflowers to bloom each summer. Sadly, the sun will never shine quite as bright, or the snowflakes fall quite as softly without her here.
A private family graveside service will be held at Greenacres Cemetery of Ferndale.
In lieu of flowers, we kindly ask that donations be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777.
Please share your thoughts and memories of Diane online at www.sigsfuneralservices.com.
