By Bill Reynolds
La Conner Community News
La Conner author, artisan and mental health therapist Diana Lee put her whole heart into the many and varied projects she undertook.
But that heart — amazingly kind and uniquely expansive — gave out unexpectedly on Sept. 11, soon after the release of her latest book, “The Spirituality of Horses,” which the Community News had featured just a week before Lee’s sudden passing.
Lee, 79, was an avid equestrian who often wrote and spoke about how personal resilience can be achieved and improved through interaction with horses.
“What I’ll always remember about Diana,” said her husband of 47 years, local attorney Bill Taylor, “is how she enjoyed riding horses. When she rode, it was like she melded into the horse.”
As a youth, horses were Lee’s salvation, helping heal emotional scars suffered from having been bullied and verbally abused during her formative years.
Whenever possible, she invited others to discover the therapeutic benefits of horses, either through personal experience or by perusing her written accounts.
“I wholeheartedly encourage you to ride with me and read with me,” Lee implored in the introduction to “The Spirituality of Horses.”
Born May 5, 1947, in North Seattle, Lee graduated from Bothell High School and attended Everett Community College before enrolling at Seattle University, where she would earn multiple degrees. At Seattle U., Lee completed work on master’s degrees in education/counseling and public administration plus a post-master’s certificate in transforming spirituality.
It was in 1977, while she served as a probation officer, that Lee by chance met Taylor in the lobby of the King County Courthouse. She and the defense lawyer soon discovered they had several common interests — books, among them.
Their shared appreciation of the printed word continued to grow across a half-century together.
“I’m a reader of books,” said Taylor, who maintains a large home library, “while Diana was a writer of books.”
The couple wed in 1979, exchanging vows in the chambers of longtime King County Superior Court Judge Jerome Johnson during a break in a murder trial over which he was presiding.
Lee and Taylor initially resided in West Seattle. As she transitioned careers into counseling and writing, they gradually moved north, first to Edmonds, then to Snohomish, and finally, a decade ago, to Channel Drive north of La Conner.
Both soon engaged in civic causes here, with Lee joining the La Conner Library Foundation board. She was especially active during the early years of the campaign for construction of the La Conner Swinomish Library at Sixth and Morris.
“She was a major donor, created a lovely tree decorated with her one-of-a-kind jewelry for the first Festival of Tiny Trees, and was a strong advocate for what a new and larger library would bring to our community,” recalled retired foundation director Susan Macek.
Macek noted that Lee was also involved with La Conner Soroptimists and attended La Conner United Methodist Church.
“She was an active contributor to our community in addition to her professional and literary accomplishments,” Macek said.
While greatly enamored with La Conner and their splendid view of Swinomish Channel, Lee and Taylor enjoyed traveling the world together.
Lee often found inspiration for her books during trips to distant venues. For instance, she drew much material for “The Spirituality of Horses” from a tour of Mongolia highlighted by stops at the famed Gandan Monastery, attendance at the 20-mile Naadam Festival horse race, and a visit to the Takhi Reserve that is home to several hundred wild horses.
Mongolia proved an ideal backdrop for “The Spirituality of Horses.” In her book, Lee alludes to the “deep and abiding love of horses” on the part of Mongols dating to the reign of Genghis Khan and before.
At the time of her death, Lee was working on a book of La Conner-themed poetry, verses she envisioned capturing the beauty of the area and the people who make it special.
Clearly, Lee herself fit in the latter category.
In addition to Taylor, survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Katherine and Andy Hicks, and a grandson, Leo Hicks, all of Gig Harbor; and brothers Tom (Jing) Lee, of California, and Darrell (Corrine) Lee, of Seattle.
Taylor suggests memorials in Lee’s name may be made to La Conner Soroptimists.
A memorial service is planned Nov. 7 at Kern’s Funeral Home, in Mount Vernon, with the time yet to be determined.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
