A Little Girl Who Chose Music Over Schoolwork
Diana’s love for music began when she was just four years old and started playing the piano. Her passion was so intense that she would sometimes skip class just to play. “I used to sneak off to school and play the piano instead of doing my work,” she recalled. Though her family scolded her for missing school, she couldn’t stay away from the keys. While she dreamed of studying at the Royal Academy of Music, that dream never came true. Instead, Diana joined the RAF, which had its own band—and that decision would change the course of her life forever.
Falling in Love With Phil
It was in the RAF band that Diana met Phil. Their connection was instant. They often visited a restaurant called The Nappy so frequently that the staff would save a table just for them. “You can’t sit there,” waiters would tell other guests. “That’s Diana and Phil’s table.”
They tied the knot in 1958. “We only had eyes for each other,” Diana shared, fondly describing Phil as “a very kind man.”
Life After Loss
When Phil passed away, Diana was devastated. “To be honest, I don’t remember much about that first year without him,” she said. It’s a feeling many who’ve lost a spouse can relate to—an overwhelming sense of absence and disorientation.