Diane Yukiko Lee was born on April 26, 1960 in Seattle Washington, the third child of Joe and Lillian Yamamoto.

Born and raised in Seattle, Diane attended Graham Hill Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, and Franklin High School.  Inspired by her Aunty Janet, after graduating from Franklin, she decided to take up cosmetology and enrolled in Lee’s Beauty School.

In 1983, she married the love of her life, Wilbur.  She worked at King’s Hair Design until 1985 when they started their family.  Diane remained a dedicated stay at home mom for several years (though she still cut hair at home, those clients becoming close family friends) until her daughters were in middle school and she then returned to work in different administration roles with Seattle Public Schools.  Diane loved working in the offices at Rainier View Elementary, Leschi Elementary, and Graham Hill Elementary and often felt like the students and staff were part of her family.  She formed many lifelong friendships with staff and families alike.

Diane had a passion for cooking and baking and loved entertaining and sharing meals with her loved ones.  She also loved plain M&M’s, snow, playing board and card games, knitting, singing/whistling without even realizing she was doing it, celebrating holidays, and shucking oysters at their property on Hood Canal.  She always said that when she went to heaven, she would become a grain of sand to be an irritant to an oyster and eventually evolve into a beautiful pearl. 

Perhaps the role Diane took the most pride in was being everyone’s Mom.  Not just to Janine and Marissa, but to countless family, friends, and colleagues.  Over the years, she became a second Mom to many and was often affectionally called “Work Mom” or “Mama Lee.”  She exuded love, compassion, generosity, selflessness, and kindness beyond any measure.

Diane was a tough cookie and in true Yamamoto spirit, was a stubborn, strong-willed fighter who battled bladder cancer for more than a year and a half.  She gave it her all and went home to heaven on October 9, 2021 after complications from a massive stroke.  We are thankful to Dr. Margo Kober, Dr. Song Zhao, Nurse Michelle Dean, Dr. John Mullen, Swedish Cherry Hill’s Acute Rehab Unit, and Kaiser’s Palliative Care Team for their tireless dedication to Diane over the last couple of years.

Diane is preceded in death by her parents Joe and Lillian Yamamoto, her niece, Nicole Taylor, and her aunt Janet Kato.  She is survived by her dedicated husband, Wilbur, her sassy daughters, Janine and Marissa, her sweet pup, Marni, her loving siblings Linda (Robert) Billedo, Sharon (John) Taylor, and Bill (Marilyn) Yamamoto, as well as countless nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and co-workers.

We know Diane impacted and loved so many people.  At her request, there will be no funeral service but we encourage you to share stories and memories of Diane below.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory to The Swedish Cancer Institute (listing her name in the “In Memory Of” field): https://give.swedishfoundation.org/cancer