Diane Marie (Smith) White

Diane Marie (Smith) White passed away suddenly in Truckee, California on December 8, 2022. She was 70 years old. Diane was born on September 1, 1952 in Berkeley, California to Walter James and Barbara Ann Smith. She attended schools in the East Bay, graduating from El Cerrito High School in 1970. She received her bachelors degree in nutrition from the University of California, Davis in 1974. Following college, Diane moved to Soda Springs in Nevada County, California where she worked as a bartender. It was there that she met Charlie White, and the two were married in 1976. Their first home was at Donner Lake where together they lived for their entire married lives. They welcomed their only child, son Chris, in April of 1985. Diane thrived at Donner Lake. She worked in the family business, Donner Lake Realty, handling mostly the vacation rental side of the enterprise. When not at work, she enjoyed living on the lake pursuing the many recreational opportunities the lake offered. She loved to fish, ride her sail board, and take her family and friends for her always-fun “cocktail cruises” in the evenings in the family boat. The surrounding mountains provided her with the opportunity to learn to ski, which the entire family enjoyed during the snowy winters in the Tahoe-Truckee area. Charlie was a private pilot and together they enjoyed trips around the western United States in their twin-engine Piper Apache plane. They loved to visit Hawaii and did so almost every year. In the summers Diane liked to golf and got out as often as she could, even if it was only for a quick nine holes. Her many friends and family members were always welcome at Diane’s house on the lake. She would host parties in the summers, particularly on the 4th of July when her guests would spend time on her deck grilling steaks and enjoying her famous potato salad and even more famous margaritas! When the sun went down, all would pile into boats tied up at her dock and motor to the west end of the lake to enjoy the fireworks from the water. After the show was over, everyone would return to Diane’s for what always seemed like dozens of pies, many of which she baked herself, and always enough for all comers, be it five or fifty people. It is a yearly tradition that will be sorely missed, but fondly remembered. Diane enjoyed volunteering for the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA, at the Truckee airport. She enthusiastically offered her services as cook for their pancake breakfasts. Diane was known throughout her community and among her family for her fun and jovial nature and ever-present smile. She was adventurous and dauntless, a self-avowed "Truckee Girl." To know her was to take a master class in humor, generosity of spirit, and joie de vivre. We will miss her always. Diane was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband Charlie White and son Chris (Denelle) White, all of Truckee; sister Patty (Rich) Engelen of Reno; brother Dave (Carla) Smith of Reno; and two grandchildren, Madisen and Carson White, both of Truckee. A Celebration of Diane’s Life will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at the Truckee Community Recreation Center, 10981 Truckee Way, Truckee, California. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions in Diane’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or to a favorite charity.

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Diane Marie (Smith) White

September 1, 1952 - December 8, 2022