Diane Lynette Cook-Lee

May 18, 1942 - April 27, 2024

Diane Lynette Cook was born in Austin Texas on May 18, 1942 and died on Saturday April 27, 2024. Diane is grieved by her daughter Becca Lee and partner Glenn Middleton of Asheville NC, brother and sister in law Gareth & Janie Cook of Austin TX, niece Laurie and husband Jason and their children Nathaniel and Kaz of Austin Tx, as well as countless extended family and beloved friends. Diane is predeceased by Kenneth and Frances Cook, her father and mother, and her nephew Matthew Cook.

Diane grew up in Austin, Texas and graduated from McCallum High School. She received her undergraduate degree from Trinity University in San Antonio and later graduated from the University of Missouri with a Master’s degree and started pursuing a PhD in 1966 at New York State University at Binghamton. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and studied in Paris, France as a Fulbright Scholar in 1968-1969, doing research in the Paris libraries on a 16th Century French poet. She later worked as an Instructor of French at King's College in Wilkes-Barre PA. from 1970-1974, where she taught French as well as women’s studies and accompanied undergraduates to study in Paris, France.

She was active in the early women's rights movement starting in the late 60s and early 70s. In 1975 she started what would become a 28 year career as a Federal Employee working in Virginia and Washington D.C. where she became a well known and regarded specialist in Equal Opportunity. Diane worked for The Department of Labor in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Smithsonian as the Women’s Program Manager in the Office of Equal Opportunity and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) where she worked in disability rights and building compliance. During the years she worked in Washington, she made some important lifelong friendships.

Diane was married from 1976 - 1986 to Dai Woo Lee from Korea whom she met while teaching in PA and the father of her only child, daughter Rebecca Lee. Their daughter Becca was born in 1978 while living in Richmond Virginia.

Diane passed on her love of travel to her daughter Becca and they enjoyed several trips traveling together over the years, highlights included Mount Vernon VA, Williamsburg VA, the beaches of VA, MA and Delaware, Maine and Quebec, the Grand Canyon, Panama, Mexico, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. After retirement, Diane returned to the Austin, Texas area living in Georgetown and later in North Austin. In retirement, Diane enjoyed making new friends and participating in groups including a French conversation group, art (water color, polymer clay, pastel, collage and jewelry making), bridge, mahjong, and making virtual friends through an online word game. Diane also thoroughly enjoyed living back in Texas and spending time with immediate and extended family. This was a thoroughly enjoyable time in Diane’s later life. Diane was a lifelong animal lover starting at the young age of just 2 years old where she was photographed with a cat. Beloved pets over the years included cats Pernette, Nobbia, Marshmallow, Rameses, Mentuhotep, Isis, Neferteri, and Smudge. Dogs included Hiker the bulldog and Pippen the escape artist Shitsu.

Some of the words used to describe Diane’s personality and life by family and friends:

Intelligent, sense of humor, adventurous, empathic, an advocate, opinionated, organizer of and leader of social groups, animal lover, assertive, loved her family, excellent at games, lover of languages, art and cuisine, world traveler, creative, loyal friend, determined, unique and an independent and free thinker.

A few fond memories shared by family members and friends include:

-The hand knitted sweater Diane made as a Christmas gift in college for her brother Gareth. It was made with love and the best of intentions but had sleeves that were about 5 feet long and was purported to have weighed about 25lbs.

-During a 2 week long European road trip through Southern German, Austria, Northern Italy and Tuscany with her daughter Becca in her college years, a friend and cousin Kay where they accidentally drove into a cow pasture in the Alps trying to locate a historic monastery and nearly got the little European car stuck in the mud.

-Glenn, Becca’s partner fondly recalled his first visit to Diane’s apartment at the Conservatory after she got her dog Pippin in which Pippin made a break for the front door and escaped the apartment. Glenn took off running down the Conservatory Hallway after Pippin and snatched the little Shitsu up right before he made it into the Dining Hall.

-Family members remember her unique ham sandwiches and cranberry sauce she made at the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays that became a family tradition.

-During the Covid-19 pandemic, Diane and her friend Gail started to play a game on their phones called Wordscapes. Through this when things were shut down, Diane made many virtual friends who she continued to play with on the game close to the end. Upon hearing of her health complications and later admittance into hospice, all the team players changed their screen names to include the name Pippin as a tribute to Diane. Pippin was Diane’s screen name in the game. One game member said “Pippin has been the matriarch of this team, I truly hope she knows how much she means to us. Wishing her a peaceful transition.”

The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the many healthcare professionals who cared for Diane in her later life including staff at The Conservatory at North Austin, Longhorn Village Health Center, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and Hospice Austin.

An intimate memorial service will be held in Austin May 11, 2024. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations may be made in Diane’s memory to one of following organizations or to your charity of choice:

Coastal Prairie Conservancy - coastalprairieconservancy.org

Austin Pets Alive - austinpetsalive.org

Hospice Austin - hospiceaustin.org/

Friends of Pisgah View State Park -.friendsofpisgahviewsp.org

BeLoved Asheville - belovedasheville.com