Diane Valentine Gutman

Margaret Diane Valentine Gutman of Gresham, Oregon passed away on March 29, 2026 at age 86 following complications from hip surgery.  The last year of her life was very challenging physically but she navigated the ups and downs with immense grace and valor. It was impressive to behold.  

Diane was born on June 15, 1939 “in a small house on Main Street in Harrisville, West Virginia” as she wrote in a beautiful scrapbook she crafted of her life up to then. Her parents were Sestel and Margaret (Sabolo) Valentine. Her younger brother, Mark, came along when Diane was nine.

Throughout her life Diane enjoyed many creative activities. She learned to play the piano when she was a child and continued playing in her adult life. She had fond memories of growing up in a close knit, small town in West Virginia, being free to roam and play with her cohort of close friends, whom she kept in touch with her entire life. She doted on her little brother and admired and cherished him greatly.

Diane attended Harrisville High School. She played clarinet in the marching band and had leadership roles in 4-H. During her senior year, she was a princess for the Mountain State Forest Festival and graduated Salutorian of her class. She was always very pretty and had a friendly smile and a curious mind. 

Diane went on to college at West Virginia University and earned a degree in Home Economics, serving as Alpha Phi Sorority president her senior year.

After college, Diane moved to Painsville, Ohio and taught at a junior high school there for three years. It was during this time that she met her husband-to-be, Brook Gutman. They were married in 1964.  He and Diane moved to Oregon so Brook could pursue work in the nursery trade. They both liked the greenery of the Pacific Northwest. They initially settled in Newberg, where Diane taught for one year before having their first child, Carolyn. Two other children soon came along; son, Jim and daughter, Sarah. The family moved a few times, first to outer Southeast Portland and later settling in the Multnomah Village neighborhood of Southwest Portland.  

When the children were all enrolled in elementary school, Diane got a job as head of the media lab for education students at Portland State University. She worked in the media lab for five years and also attended PSU herself, earning her Master of Education degree with a school librarian certificate. She then worked at Woodlawn Elementary School in Portland Public Schools for 14 years before retiring at age 58. Shortly afterwards she and Brook chose to divorce after 37 years of marriage.

During her retirement years, she followed her varied creative interests and volunteered for the larger community.  She volunteered for Quilts of Valor, helping to make quilts for veterans and with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), advocating on behalf of children. She had more time for traveling, going to several countries, including Hungary, England, Italy, the Czech Republic, and France. She read extensively, explored new recipes (she loved to collect and read cookbooks), watered her roses and other plants, sold books online, and hosted family gatherings. She also began attending the First Unitarian Church of Portland where she used her library skills to help purchase and organize books for the adult education program at the church.  

Most impressively, Diane dedicated her retirement years to becoming an adept quilter, following her passion for fabric, colorwork and design.  Her sense of color and patterns was superb and she made many quilts for family and friends. Her quilts have a fun yet sophisticated look to them.  Many of her beautiful quilts will be on display at her memorial and celebration of life gathering in June. 

In 2007, Diane was fortunate to find a second love of her life, Jim Kennedy. They shared a home and a blended extended family life together for 18 years. They both enjoyed following several college sports teams, including teams from West Virginia. With Jim, Diane now had a partner to continue her travels with. They enjoyed trips to Russia, Japan, China, Alaska and several winter trips to Mexico and Hawaii where they went every year with friends Dennis and Judy and various family members. Diane also got to enjoy a special trip to Brazil with her son-in-law Roberto Silva, who is from Brazil.  

Diane will be missed as a dedicated mother and grandmother, sister, and life partner. She leaves us with a legacy to strive to take an interest in others and to never stop learning and growing.  

Diane was predeceased by her son, James Walter Gutman, her nephew, Perry Valentine, and by her former husband, Brook. 

She is survived by her partner, Jim Kennedy; her daughters, Carolyn Gutman Dey (Graham) and Sarah Silva (Roberto); grandchildren Olivia (Allan), Ana, Rowan and Emilio; great-grandchildren, Gideon, Dakota and Jaxon; brother, Mark Valentine (Michelle), nephew Owen Valentine (Joanna) and their daughter Kaitlin as well as close cousins, John and Karol Straub and Jim Kennedy’s family; Gail (Rick), Heather, Nell (Angel), Theresa, and Lisa (Ty).

The family would like to thank Cornelia's Adult Care Home for making the last months of Diane's life so positive, hopeful and safe and also the doctors and nurses at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center for their dedicated care of their patients. You are all amazing. 

A memorial service celebrating Diane's life will be held at the Multnomah Arts Center at 7688 SW Capitol Hwy in Portland on June 21, 2026 at 1:30 PM. We invite all who knew and loved Diane to join us in honoring her memory.

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