Diana Horton, Professor Emeritus, passed away on June 24, 2018. Her obituary is available below.

Diana Horton (1949 – June 24, 2018) died suddenly at her home in Vancouver, Washington, on June 24, 2018.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Diana's parents, James Henry "Harry" and Betty Horton, instilled in her a life-long love of nature and the outdoors. Diana obtained a B.Ed. at the University of Alberta in 1972, followed by a Ph.D. in Botany in 1981. In 1983, Diana joined the Department of Botany at the University of Iowa. As an Assistant Professor, she became the Director and Curator of the Biology Herbarium at the University of Iowa, following in the footsteps of those responsible for the University's acquisition of specimens from around the world, since the 1870's.

Diana's specialty was the taxonomy and ecology of bryophytes (mosses); her knowledge and expertise were well-respected within the bryological community and will be missed. During her lifetime, Diana was active in many areas relating to the environment. A recipient of honours and awards, much of her time was spent teaching and interacting with her students, as well as with anyone who demonstrated an interest in knowing more about the natural world. Diana was, among other things, dedicated to the preservation of Iowa's native habitats through hands-on and collection-based research. Diana's tireless energy, on-going work in her fields of expertise, and her unflinching belief in the importance of fighting for environmental causes will be greatly missed.

An accomplished pianist, Diana enjoyed, joined, and supported a broad range of the Arts, such as opera, live theatre, music, and choral groups. During her lifetime, Diana gave a home to many Rescue dogs. Her three most recent companions were with her when she died. Diana's death leaves a gap which cannot be filled in the lives of the close circle of her family, friends, and colleagues. A celebration of Diana's life will be held in Edmonton in the early summer of 2019.

Memorial donations may be made to the University of Alberta, Department of Biology. Visit uab.ca/honour or send donation (payable to UofA) to:

Office of Memorial and Tribute Giving (UofA)
3-501 10230 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 4P6

Please identify that your donation is in memory of Diana G. Horton to support the Department of Biology.

Published on November 1, 2018