Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
With deep love and sorrow, we share that our cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, and dear friend, Diane Kalas, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2025, in Peoria, Arizona.
In March, Diane suffered a broken hip and, as always, met the challenges that followed with resilience, humor, and grace. Though she fought with tremendous strength, the time came for her to embark on her next great adventure—one we imagine is filled with light, love, and reunions with those who’ve gone before her.
Born on May 22, 1932, in Kansas City, Missouri, Diane brought warmth, wonder, and kindness into the world from the very beginning. Diane moved to Phoenix with her family in 1947 and graduated from Phoenix Union High School before attending Phoenix College. A true trailblazer, Diane made Arizona history in 1970 when she became the state’s first female television news reporter at Channel 12 (then KTAR-TV, now KPNX). She later produced and co-hosted Today in Arizona for seven years, before transitioning to radio `journalism. Her voice reached communities across the country through her work at KTAR Newsradio (Phoenix), KQV (Pittsburgh), WBZ (Boston), and KCBS (San Francisco). Diane ended her remarkable professional journey as a community relations manager for Shell Oil Company in Martinez, California, retiring in 1994 and returning to her beloved Arizona to be near her family.
Diane gave generously of her time and talents. She volunteered with Northern Arizona Hospice for five years, was a proud member of AFTRA and AWRT, and a charter member of SWIM/TP in Martinez. A woman of deep faith, she was a devoted member of the Episcopal Church for over four decades, serving as a lector and three-term Vestry member. At the time of her passing, she was a member of All Saints of the Desert Episcopal Church in Sun City.
Diane’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her children: Linda Spencer (Kay White), Steven Kalas (Marianne), and Kim Kalas; her grandchildren: Wendy Cordova (Sean), Jonathan Kalas (Kayla), Aaron Kalas, Alexander Anderson, Christopher Kalas, and Joseph Kalas; her 8 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren; her brother, Gary Snow (Susan) of Kalispell, Montana; and her beloved dog, Rags, who rarely left her side.
A celebration of Diane’s life will be held in the Fall of 2025 in Sun City, with details to be shared at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Blackhat Humane Society (P.O. Box 3123, Durango, CO 81302) or to the animal rescue organization of your choice—honoring Diane’s enduring love for animals and her unwavering compassion for those in need.
Diane’s legacy is one of courage, integrity, faith, and unconditional love. We will carry her in our hearts forever.
