Diana Whitfield

Diane L. Whitfield October 3, 1943 - May 12, 2019 Tulare Diane Whitfield, 75, was tragically taken, along with her best friend, Kathy, from all that loved her on May 12th, 2019, in a car accident in Tulare, CA. Diane (Mom) may have been born in Oregon, but her home has always been in Tulare. Her family and many close friends, which she very much considered to be family, were extremely important to her, and she didn't like to venture far from their presence. Anyone who has ever been around our mom for any length of time knows her to be kind, warm, generous, happy, and always up for a random adventure, a trip to The Palace, or staying in to play cards with the girls; that is our mom. Many people know her as "The Cake Lady." For many decades, she was the go-to person for weddings, birthdays, and any other special occasion imaginable. She started doing cakes out of her home; word traveled quickly, and she eventually opened Diane's Cakes. She had a passion for all things design, and her creativity didn't end with cakes; that led her to open The Little Flower Shop. Mom was an artist in so many ways. As time went on, she would eventually move on from Diane's Cakes and The Little Flower Shop, but never too far. For the past several years, she has continued her artistic expression working alongside her friend, Julie, at what is now Julie's Little Flower Shop. Julie was not only her boss; to our mom, she was family. She may have been an artist, but her true passion was her family. Diane Keller met her future husband, Lowell Whitfield, while attending Tulare Union High School. She graduated in 1961, and went on to marry Lowell on November 1st, of the same year. Their family began to grow with the birth of their first born, Tammy, and would continue to do so with the additions of Tandi, Tiffin, and Matt. Though our family dynamic would change as a result of the divorce from our dad, he always considered her to be the love of his life, and he would always find some excuse to be near her, something that has given us many laughs over the years. Mom grew up as an only child with her mother, Mary (Juanita) Spink, and always dreamt of having a large family; the best thing in the world to her was having her four kids together and happy. She treasured the special bond that she had with each of us, as well as all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At family gatherings, she could often be found with a smile on her face just watching and taking it all in, but individually, she was far more than just a mother; she was our friend, confidante, and biggest fan. No one got more pleasure in our successes than our mom, no matter how big or small. We will never forget her smile, how much joy she got from a new bottle of perfume, and her deep love of music and trying to figure out who would become the next American Idol. Mom was the absolute center of our family. Diane Whitfield will be remembered by all as a kind human, a true friend, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother. She was preceded in death by her grandchildren Tyler Lorenzo and Cort Turner, as well as Lowell Whitfield. She will be missed by her children, Tammy Lorenzo-Gibson (Larry), Tandi Turner (Jeff), Tiffin Groff, Matt Whitfield (Stacey), and Todd Lorenzo, as well as her grandchildren, Tanner, Taylor, Dax, Lyndon, Brennan, Tristan, and Candice, and her great-grandchildren, Tatum and Tyson, not to mention her many friends that were her extended family. We are absolutely devastated by this loss, but the world, without question, is a better place because she was in it. We love you, Mom. Please join us on Friday, May 17th, at 6pm for dinner and a celebration of her life at Tammy's home at 1803 Trebbiano Street, in Tulare. In lieu of flowers, your presence is everything.