Submit a PhotoDianne (Sorensen) Walker passed away peacefully on June 5th, 2022, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones who will continue to honor her legacy by living their lives to the fullest.
Dianne was born on February 17th, 1962, in Brigham City, Utah to parents Ariel and LuAna Sorensen. Growing up, Dianne had a love for music–mainly percussion in high school and later at Rick’s College in piano performance–and singing. This led to her attending BYU Provo where she concentrated her talents more on the lines of singing. She auditioned and was accepted into the BYU Singer’s choir her senior year and receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Pedagogy (teaching people how to sing) in 1988. While attending BYU Provo, she met the love of her life, Terry. They were married and sealed in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple on May 7th, 1987.
Terry served in the United States Air Force from 1989 to 1999 and during that time, they had 5 amazing children and lived in 9 different places (Montana being Dianne’s favorite). In 1999, Terry was discharged from the Air Force, and they moved to Gilbert, Arizona where the family currently resides.
Dianne loved to crochet and quilt and made many beautiful quilts and scarves for family and friends over the years. Dianne also loved spending time in the kitchen baking. She is especially known for her amazing banana bread and lemon bars that everyone begged her to make. Dianne had everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries memorized and would always send cards. Dianne also loved to travel with Terry. One of her favorite places to travel was Hawaii, where her father served an LDS mission. Despite Dianne’s struggles with cancer, she was always smiling and remained as active as possible by fishing, being a mother, and traveling. She was able to do some traveling in the last year to visit family in Ohio and Utah. While fishing in Utah with family during that time, she caught the biggest fish and had a grin from ear to ear. Of course, she had to tease everyone, especially Terry, about her feat.
Dianne was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her favorite scripture was Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. She embodied this scripture by always finding ways to serve the Lord. Dianne served an LDS mission in the San Jose, Costa Rica mission from 1984 to 1986. She also served in many church callings that allowed her to be a blessing in the lives of many.
Dianne is survived by her husband Terry Walker; her 5 children, Laura (Ryan) Haddad, Andrea (Mike) Casteel, Ashley (Craig) Casteel, James, and Daniel; her 5 beautiful grandchildren; as well as her 5 siblings Annette, Mariel, Alvin, Carl, and Marie. She was preceded in death by her parents Ariel and LuAna Sorensen, and her 2 brothers, David and Charles Sorensen.
A memorial service will be held in Dianne’s honor on June 15th, 2022, at the LDS Chapel located on 1155 East Ray Road Gilbert, AZ. Flowers can be sent to this same address between 8am and 9am PACIFIC TIME. There will be a zoom broadcast of the service. Please email Terry Walker at terry88walker@gmail.com, and we will send you the link. There will be a viewing from 9:00 to 9:45 am PACIFIC TIME, the family prayer will be held at 9:45 to 10:00, then the service will follow from 10:00 to Noon. The service will be followed by a graveside service at the National Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix located at 23029 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ at 1:00 pm. Dianne will be dearly missed by her family and friends. Arrangements by Gilbert Memorial Park.
Print Obituary
Service Location
Fond mission memories of Diane in Costa Rica.
We will surely miss our great friend, Dianne! We loved to hear her sing and see her smiles. She was always so kind. Love, prayers, and condolences to Terry and all the family!
My thoughts and prayers to her family, as Dianne was a best friend of mine in high school. I truly loved her, and cherish those times we had.
I loved singing with Dianne in the ward choir. Her voice was simply angelic and she could hit those high notes seemingly effortlessly. I’m sure she is enjoying singing in the Heavenly Choir. Love and prayers to Terry and the family.
I am so sorry to hear about our sweet friend Dianne. I loved her so much! She was such a great example in High School at Bear River High. We had so many fun times together in Choir and in Madrigals. The heavens gained another member for the Heavenly Choir! Dianne you will be missed!
While serving with Terry in the USAF in both Montana and Oklahoma, I came to know well an angel: Dianne Walker. I’m so glad my wife was likewise able to meet Dianne on a trip to Arizona a few years ago. Yes, she will be dearly missed! And I will forever hope to be more kind, more patient, and more unselfish having known the angel we call Dianne.
Prayers for Terry and the amazing children and grandchildren she is now watching over!
Oh what a great light. Dianne is always genuinely happy, caring, loving, giving. She writes the most thoughtful birthday cards–full of understanding. We admire her eagerness to pursue wellness at all levels and the gentle encouragement she gives to all of her cherubs’ pursuits. She always speaks the good. We will deeply miss her for a time, but surely she will drop in to check on us as often as she can–especially at the key moments in our lives. That’s just who she is.
A person who always showed kindness and love to all. We will miss her. My heart and prayers with her family.
I have the blessing of being her District leader in the mission field in Panama, in Santiago de Veraguas and Puerto Armuelles, what a blessing she was for us there. The first time in Santiago de Veraguas she work so hard with learning Spanish, I was so impress how fast she learn it, also she worked so hard with her companions, she always have this huge smile and love for the Panamanian people, her work has amazing, one day they were so tire from working, that I took a picture of them. The second time working with her in Puerto Armuelles, she was amazing, how many people she taught there, never got tired even days were so hot. I have so many memories but for now, all I can say she was the most caring unselfish person I never met. To Terry Children and Grandchildren our prayers and heart many blessings