COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho. – Days after her tragic and accidental death, 68-year-old Diane Williams’ tight-knit neighborhood is coming together to share the kind of person she was, before a plunging tree crushed her car and cut her life short Saturday morning.
“She was alive one minute and as far as I’m concerned, she was in Heaven the next,” Beth Rich said.
It was a seemingly normal Saturday morning, when Williams was driving eastbound on Seltice Way when a falling tree landed on top of her car. According to first responders, the tree’s weight crushed Williams’ car and killed her instantly; she did not suffer.
The 68-year-old’s close friend and neighbor in Post Falls, Beth Rich, said Williams was on her way to a nail appointment when she died. When asked how she felt when she heard the news of her friend’s death, Rich said this:
“Like someone punched me in the stomach.”
A cross now lies where Williams died – her initials, D.W., printed large.
Diane Williams, a beloved mother, sister, wife and friend was more than just a resident of north Idaho. Rich describes her as a selfless caregiver, a rare breed, a beacon of compassion. She paints a picture of a woman whose generosity knew no bounds:
“She was gracious, and poised, and kind, and considerate,” Rich said. “She would forsake herself to help you if she could.”
Williams’ love extended not only to people, but also to animals. Rich said she always had a soft spot, a deep affection for dogs.
“Diane Williams moved in across the street from me and fell in love with my dog,” Rich said. “About four years ago, I said to her, ‘if you treated everybody else’s dog the way you treat my dog, you could start a pet sitting business in your home and you could quit your job.’”
And that is exactly what she did.
Before long, Williams was the creator of “Diane’s Doghouse,” and her clients came rushing in, on all fours. Rich said some may not remember Williams’ name, but they will most certainly remember her as the woman who could show up to a dog park, walking five dogs at a time, grinning ear-to-ear.
“The neighborhood won’t be the same without her, that is for absolutely sure,” Rich said.
Williams is survived by her two sons, one daughter, and six brothers. Her husband died about eight years ago, when the couple lived in Coeur d’Alene; Rich has faith they’re together again.
She also leaves behind her own dog, Penny; but, with her friends’ gracious help, Penny has now found a new forever home with a sweet little girl.
Williams’ kind heart will live on. And if her closest friend had one message to give after this tragic accident took the life of a bright woman – it would be this: “Tell the people you love that you love them. Never miss an opportunity, it doesn’t cost anything to tell somebody how much you care about them and how much they mean to you,” Rich said. “I don’t have any regrets as far as that goes, and I’m grateful for that.”
Rich said Williams’ friends and family will be coming together to celebrate her life on November 19. The service will be open to the public, where everyone can gather to honor the memory of a woman whose kindness had no end.
The location is yet to be announced, but the event promises to be a heartfelt tribute to a well-lived, beautiful life. More details will be released as they come.
