Diane Joyce Kennedy Saldivar, 50, of Lake Oswego, died peacefully on Dec. 23, 2017, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born May 17, 1967 in Waukesha, Wis. to Robert J. Kennedy and Bernice “Dot” Suazo.
Diane grew up in Sweet Home with her older brother and sister. From a young age she got involved in athletics. She played varsity volleyball and softball for the Sweet Home Huskies. Her true passion was pitching.
Highlights from her playing career include pitching the Huskies into the state semi-finals her senior year. She was also named one of Sweet Home High School’s MVPs in 1985.
Diane moved to Portland and began working in the accounting department at Leading Technologies in 1989. While there she met Robert Dean Saldivar. They were married on Sept. 15, 1990.
They loved to go to concerts, Duck football games, camp, travel and fight over the thermostat.
Diane excelled in several areas of her life but the most important thing to her was being a devoted mother. She raised two daughters, Samantha Joanne Saldivar (b. 1993) and Alexandra Maria Saldivar (b. 1995).
She volunteered in their schools, whether that meant working as a lunch lady, organizing Brownie Scouts or coaching kindergarten soccer.
Diane passed down her passion for softball to her daughters and coached both their teams for several years.
Diane is survived by her husband, Bob Saldivar; daughters Samantha and Alexandra Saldivar; parents Robert and Bernice Kennedy; her brother, Robert Kennedy Jr., and sister Sharron Candelaria. She also left behind several nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and loving friends.
A funeral service and celebration was held for Diane on Dec. 30. The Diane Kennedy Saldivar Memorial Scholarship is being started through the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation. It will be given to a student-athlete.
Donations can be sent in her name to the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation, PO Box 83, Sweet Home, OR 97386 or by contacting her daughter at [email protected].