Dianne Carol Huhtanen

Dianne Carol (Popham) Huhtanen 

Dianne was born in Hamilton, MT on August 20, 1946. She attended Corvallis public schools for twelve years and graduated as the Class Valedictorian in 1964. During High School she worked for the Corvallis Experiment Station where she utilized her farming and tractor driving skills, and then also at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory. After graduation she attended the University of Montana where she was a member of the Spur and Mortar Boards. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany and then attended Oregon State University on a fellowship scholarship where she earned a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology.

She married her husband Dale on Sept 20, 1969, when he returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam and they enjoyed 53 years together, spending much of their time outdoors. They both worked in several school districts together. Dianne was a secretary, substitute teacher, and German teacher. She also was a substitute teacher at the Trapper Peak Job Corp. She then applied and was hired at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in December 1990 as a physicist. She worked at RML for 20 years, beginning as a media specialist, retiring in 2010 as a health physicist in charge of compliance. Dianne loved plants, bird watching, flowers and gardening. One of her favorite sayings was “Strawberries are the angels of earth, innocent and sweet with leafy green wings reaching heavenward” by Terri Guillemets. She loved gardening so much, they put in a half-acre garden with adjoining small orchard where they spent much of their time sharing its bounty with family and friends.

Dianne was the fourth child born to Clarence and Mable (Swanson) Popham. She was preceded in death by her twin brother Don Popham, her sister JoAnne (Popham) Just and husband Charles (Chuck) Just, and her parents Clarence and Mable (Swanson) Popham. She is survived by her brother Bob Popham and his wife Jane, her sister-in-law Marge Popham, her husband Dale Huhtanen, and son Mark Huhtanen, wife Shelly, and two grandsons Hayden and Broden of Columbia SC, and a daughter Deb, husband Gary Lindsey and two granddaughters Alexa (Lexi) and Kayleigh of Bozeman, MT.

She was a lifelong Lutheran and member of Grace Lutheran Church, which was her second home where she played in the bell choir and participated on many committees. Memorials may be made in her honor to Grace Lutheran Church. A funeral service will be held at 11:00am Thursday, February 26 th at Grace Lutheran Church in Hamilton followed by a luncheon.