Diane Marian Thompson

Diane M. Thompson, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away on August 15, 2024.

Diane was born on March 23, 1941 to Dr. Arthur Tait and Jeannette Tait (Knutson) in Rochester, Minnesota. She met her husband, Larry Thompson in Riverside, CA who was her next door neighbor. They both graduated from UCR in 1963 and settled in China Lake, California. Traveling with them to China Lake, was their 10-day old daughter Randi. In 1967, they welcomed their son, Brett and shortly after Diane began her career at China Lake Naval Weapons Center as a Physicist. She especially enjoyed working with the Tomahawk Missile and testing on SNORT, and being on the China Lake Ranges and San Clemente islands. Here she would stay until her retirement in 2000.

Diane and Larry loved traveling around the world. Some of her favorite trips were their annual trips to Hawaii, visiting Norway and Alaska and enjoying numerous cruises. In 2003 she welcomed her first grandson, Benjamin and in 2008 her second, Christopher. It made her so happy to be Grammy to the boys.

Diane was also very active for more than 50 years in sorority and was a member of the Delta Iota Master of Beta Sigma Phi.

She leaves behind her husband of 62 years, Larry, her daughter Randi and her husband, Richard, & two grandsons Benjamin and Christopher. She is preceded in death by her son Brett and parents Arthur & Jeannette.