Diane's family moved to Pierre in June of 1954, after their son, Scott, graduated from high school in Jamestown, North Dakota. Her father, Scotty Graff, had worked on the Oahe Dam for a year prior to the move.

Because of her training as a Life Guard, Diane was able to secure a position at the swimming pool and worked each of eight summers, essentially putting herself through college with the money she was able to save.

After graduating from South Dakota State College in 1962, Diane married Judd Allen Cooney at Fort Carson, Colorado, where Judd was stationed.

Their daughter, Lisa Dawn, was born at the army hospital in 1963, and in 1966, their son, Blain Allen, was born in Kremmling, Colorado; Judd's district as a W.C.O. (Wildlife Conservation Officer).

Due to a lack of qualified teachers in the area, Diane was pressed into service as the Home Economics teacher for one semester and later taught in the business department for one year.

In 1970 Judd was transferred to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and there Diane taught typing, shorthand and accounting for two years before deciding to take a year off to concentrate on things at home. That winter there was so much snow in Pagosa that four male teachers left in the middle of the school year and Diane was called back to teach either English, History, Arts & Crafts or go into the Counseling Office. She chose Counseling because that had always been an area of interest to her. Remaining in that position required going to summer school to earn a Master's Degree. For the next eight years, through Blain's death in 1979 and Lisa's graduation in 1981, Diane remained in the high school counseling office.

Circumstances change things and Diane found herself as "Chief Cook & Bottle Washer" for Judd's hunting operation; for either elk, deer, antelope or bear. Judd still guides whitetail deer hunters in Iowa and Diane is very active in a ladies Bible Study and volunteers at the Pregnancy Support Center, while "keeping the home fires burning" in Judd's absence.

Diane did write a book about Blain's life, his 15 month battle with leukemia and his heart-breaking death, but it has yet to be published. The title:  "The Warrior Was A Child". There was a small segment of Blain's story published in "Chicken Soup For The Nature Lover's Soul".

In May of 2011, we will celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary and God willing, we'll make it to the big 50 in 2012.

GOD BLESS EACH & EVERYONE OF YOU!