Diane Rose Barr (Jensen)
1942-2012
Diane Rose Barr (Jensen) was born in Tacoma, Washington, to Richard Norman Jensen and Margaret Lillian (Jackson). She spent her childhood years in Washington State, graduating from the first full graduating class of Soap Lake High School. After a short time at Pacific Lutheran University, she married Fred Harold Dreis and moved to San Diego with him. They had two boys, Fred Richard and Harold August. She married the love of her life in 1993, Michael Lawrence Barr, dressed to the hilt at a medieval wedding at The Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas. There were 48 attendees in costume at their wedding, the largest authentic wedding there to date. She utilized her creative skills opening her own business, Rose D'Zynes, creating authentic historically documented attire for weddings and affairs. She was a fantastic artistic designer that could remake an outfit from seeing a photograph and measurements!
She and her husband left Southern California in 2004 and moved to Richland, Washington, to be closer to her family and for Mike to work for the nuclear industry. Their work took them to Idaho Falls, Idaho and eventually to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they have made their home for the last six years.
She enjoyed her fabric creations and outfitting customers in their dream clothing. She presented historic fashion shows while providing many of the costumes. She knew her styles through the years as she constantly read historical books to identify the changes of clothes through time.
She also supported her sister, Rosalie, in the genealogical pursuit of our family history. She told the family stories, and Rosalie put the facts together. She read the local history stories from the eras and areas of our ancestors' travels. She was always studying something! Diane was a powerful metaphysical believer, practicing her continual learnings throughout her life.
In more recent years she was a member of the Las Vegas Quilt Guild and Doll Group to stretch her creative activities. Her dolls were shown at their local quilt show in 2012.
The last year of her life she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She lived that year to its fullest, despite chemotherapy and cancer's symptoms. Nothing held her down. She traveled with her sister and husband to Belize, Central America, to Ogden, Utah, for her grandchildren's ballet performances and to Washington State to see family and to host two style shows as well as a Victorian Ball. She was able to attend the wedding of her nephew, Darrel and Lacey Jensen while there. It was then off to New York for another wedding and visiting her husband's family. November was the highlight of the year. Her family was gathered in San Diego, California, witnessing the first marriage of her youngest son, Harold Dreis and his beautiful bride Nataliya. Diane was suffering with lung problems, but you would have never known it as she joyously danced with her sons and grandson. She planned to live to 103 years young but her body forgot to allow that. Her last words were "I want out."
She took some last looks at us all and then slipped out of this lifetime to her next. She will always be remembered fondly for being who she was and her loving contribution to this world.
She is survived by her husband Michael; sons Fred and Wendy (Lee) Dreis of Ogden, Utah, Harold and Nataliya Dreis of San Diego, California; grandchildren Marquelle, Fred and Danielle Dreis; brothers Norman and Judy (Wetzel) Jensen of East Wenatchee, Washington, Dale and Avis Jensen of Seligman, Arizona; sisters Rosalie Jensen, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Melodee and Doug Batcheller of Rock Island, Washington; nieces Christy, Julie, Rebecca, Alicia, Roxanne; nephews Brian, Brad, Brett, Darrel; many other great nieces and nephews and close friends. Family was always very important in her life.
She requested her cremains be made into glass ornaments and shared with family and friends. You could do what you wanted with them and she did not even care even if you dropped them! We discovered an artist in New Orleans, Louisiana, Gerald Haessig, who was happily commissioned to make these for us. We have incorporated a small bit of ash in a glass ball ornament, or a glass rose. The white or silver area is her ash either swirled or placed in the glass.
We love you, Diane.