Diana Marlene Roberts

Diana Marlene Roberts passed away on April 30, 2021 in Colorado Springs, CO. Diana was born on April 22, 1940 in Portland, OR to her parents, Ted and Martha Snyder. She first attended Portsmouth School, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1958. Diana was a member of the high school orchestra, playing piano and string bass. She enjoyed many school friends with whom she remained in contact over the years and at class reunions. Frequent family celebrations with her sisters and cousins were highlights growing up, especially at Christmas, and on trips to the Oregon coast. Diana first worked, and developed an interest in accounting while in her high school senior year early release program, as a part-time bookkeeper at the Monarch Shingle Co. to earn money for college.

She attended Oregon College of Education (now WOU) and graduated in 1962 with a B.A. in Elementary Education. She first taught in Salem before moving to Eugene to teach at Santa Clara School, where she also directed the school choir. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Oregon in 1966, the same year she married her husband, Tom, to begin their wonderful 54-year journey together. After teaching for many years, Diana remained at home busily raising children Jennifer and Andrew. Later, she worked part-time as a bookkeeper for Jean Tate Real Estate in Eugene.

In 1977, the family moved to Bend, enjoying many new activities and friendships. Diana was an avid knitter, a craft which she was introduced to in the fourth grade as a project sponsored by the Red Cross to make afghans for the Displaced Persons of World War II. It was in Bend that she decided to open, along with two other friends, what became a very successful yarn and needlework shop called The Yarn Station. Diana’s passion for blending colorful and intricate patterns into hundreds of sweaters for family, friends, and co-workers continued for the rest of her life. Traveling to different cities on vacation always included stops at local knitting and needlework shops.

In 1984, the family moved to Portland, where Diana returned to bookkeeping and accounting positions with The Oregon Symphony, The Heathman Hotel, and Intel. While working at the Heathman, she had the distinct privilege of meeting and shaking the hand of one of her favorite tenors, Luciano Pavarotti. At Intel, she was an accounting specialist responsible for large equipment purchases used for the rapid expansion and construction of microprocessor chip factories during the 1990’s.

Tom and Diana’s final move was from their beloved Oregon to Colorado Springs in 2001 to be closer to children and grandchildren there, and in Texas. An active semi-retirement awaited with a large perennial flower garden and pond to care for, with plenty of time for family gatherings, traveling, attending musical events, book club meetings, dinner group events, and of course, a knitting group. The opportunity to be with our children and our growing grandchildren over the last 20 years added special joy.

Family, friends, music, flowers, and artistic expression were dominant themes in Diana’s life. Her spirit in life for beauty will live on in our family, and along with her smile she will remain lovingly in our hearts and memories forever.

Diana is survived by her husband Tom Roberts, daughter Jennifer (Roberts) Yopp and her husband Michael Yopp of Colorado Springs, CO, son Andrew Roberts of Fort Worth, TX, grandchildren Autumn and Nicholas Yopp, Erin, Samuel, and Allison Roberts, Zachary and Ethan Glenn, great-grandchildren Alyssa, Christian, Avery, Hayden, Jasper, and William Glenn, and sisters Patricia Frye of Sherwood, OR, and Judy Leise of Spokane, WA. Diana is predeceased by sisters Shirley Snyder and Gloria Olson of Portland, OR.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Thursday, June 10, 2021 in the chapel at the First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave in Colorado Springs.