Diane May Read Groves left us on Saturday, July 3, 2021 surrounded by family after a ruptured aneurysm on May 22, 2021. With broken hearts we said goodbye to a wonderful wife and life partner, mother, sister, grandmother,           great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend.

Born on December 7, 1941 in Bremerton, WA, she was the second child and first of two daughters of Fred and Pauline Read. She attended St. Ignatius Elementary, Park Rose Junior/Senior High School, and was a student at Portland State University for one year before discovering her passion for nursing and resulted in a transfer to St. Joseph's Nursing School in Tacoma, WA.

Diane married Richard Thompson in 1965 and had two sons, Reid and T. Jay Thompson.

In 1978 Diane moved to the Pacific Northwest and fell in love with Dave Groves, her husband of forty-three years. She gained three more children in the process and was the antithesis of the much maligned myth of the evil step-mother.

Diane worked and volunteered in the healthcare field for over 50 years, most of them spent in scrubs in the operating room. At Stanford she was a member of Dr. Shumway's team in the mid-1970's when heart/heart & lung transplants were first performed. She was a life-long learner and worked in the OR, specialty clinics and as a utilization review coordinator for Blue Cross throughout her career.

Her love of learning extended into her personal life as well. She had a short-lived experience teaching herself how to play the mandolin, enjoyed gardening, cooking and baking, boating in the San Juan Islands, traveling across southwestern states and Central and South America where temperatures were, on average, twenty degrees warmer than at home, and quilting, an activity she enjoyed until her death. In addition to her volunteer work she continued serving as an expert over-the-phone diagnostician for all of her children and other family members.

Diane lived a life full of joy! She loved hosting holiday meals and other celebrations and made sure guests were well fed and never thirsty from their arrival until their departure. Diane's children and their happiness was a primary source of joy for both her and Dave. Though not immune to sadness or sorrow, Diane leaned on family and friends to get through tough times and would encourage us all to do the same.

Diane is survived by her husband Dave; sons: Reid and T. Jay Thompson, Dennis Groves, former son-in-law Karl Kilga; daughters: DeAnna Kilga and Dorina Groves and significant others; grandchildren: Sam Lipman, Donovan and Kramer Brown, Travis and Claire Kilga, and great granddaughter Amira Lipman; siblings: Dale (Betty) Read, Donna (Jerry Dick), and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Diane was preceded in death by her parents, and her parents-in-law, Jim and Alice Groves.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, July 22nd from 1-3pm at Brodniak Hall in Anacortes, Washington. Light refreshments will be served immediately following the service. Masks are encouraged.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Diane's name to:
Skagit Valley College's Scholarship Fund for Nursing students.
Choose 'Other, Please Specify' from drop down menu, to direct your donation for Nursing Students

To share memories of Diane, please visit: www.evanschapel.com/obituary/diane-groves