Foil: 21 Panel: 1 Column: 2 Line: 5

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Mr. Geoffrey E. Fostor

DIANE JEAN STROUD, October 31, 1951 to August 13, 1994.

Diane was born in Burbank, CA; daughter of a building contractor and secretary. She grew up in an era of "women aren't supposed to" with a father who believed that a child should explore all his or her potential. Diane adored her father. He died when she was only 14, but his attitude toward doing left an indelible impression on the young girl. This spirit permeated her life.

With the support of her family and friends, Diane energetically began to pursue the goals she had set for herself at an early age. She had a keen sense of adventure, an interest in history and art, and this led to a degree in anthropology that she obtained while working in the computer industry as an electronics technician. In 1974, she met her husband Geoff Foster and the two were married on May 19, 1978, and began a life of combined love of aviation, aviation history and sport flying.

Early flights in a DC-6 and a PT-22 Ryan sparked her interest. First flying hang gliders in 1976, she became ever more interested in flying and in November 1985 began to learn to fly and by February 1987 had her private license. Diane's mother was her first passenger. The second was her husband Geoff.

Her work with Pacific Coast Airlines kept her close to the airport and her knowledge and expertise grew as did her interest in aircraft construction and restoration. She flew Cessna 172s, Cessna 152s, a J-3 Cub, Citabrias, and Decathlons. She continued to learn by taking "Unusual Attitude" and "Aerobatic Training" courses at CP Aviation, Santa Paula, CA. She never missed any opportunity to fly in antique aircraft including PT-22 Ryan, TravelAir 4000 and Clyde Bourgeois's Beechcraft D17S Staggerwing.

Diane and Geoff joined Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in March 1988 and were issued EAA numbers 303842 and 303841 respectively. Diane also joined the "Antique and Classic" and "IAC" divisions. They attended the annual "Oshkosh Fly-in" regularly.

In May 1989, Diane's mother died after a short illness. Despite this tragic event, Diane continued her quest of flight. In August of the same year, she purchased a Citabria 7-GCBC, registration number N5525K. The adventures with "Two-Five-Kilo" took Diane and Geoff on many trips within the state of California. In the summer of 1990 they accompanied the West Coast Ryan Club on a flying adventure that took them to "Oshkosh 90" and back. The trip covered over 1800 miles each way and 50 hours total flying time.

In July 1991, Diane and Geoff took the trusty Citabria on an incredible 6000-mile 75-flight hour odyssey. The route of flight took them east bound from California to Tennessee, up the Shenandoah Valley to Leesburg, VA and on to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, NY, west bound across New York state and the Ohio valley to Dayton and Chicago, west to Rapid City, SD, Sheridan, WY, Livingston, MT, Spokane, WA, south through Oregon and California visiting aviation museums and historical sights all along the way.
Diane was interested in aviation history, photography, and art, and enjoyed the EAA's annual art and photography contest display in the Air Adventure Museum. She was an avid fan of the Wright brothers reading all she could about the brothers and their invention. She and Geoff visited Kitty Hawk in June 1993, the ninetieth anniversary year of the first flight. She continued to work on her goals and obtained an instrument rating in June 1993 and a commercial certificate in June 1994. She accumulated over 1000 flight hours and had plans to obtain glider, airship, hot air balloon, helicopter, float plane, and multi-engine ratings.

Diane was a joy to those around her, gave constant support and encouragement to anyone learning to fly, was an active member of the Santa Barbara 99s, EAA's Santa Barbara, CA chapter 527, EAA's Santa Ynez, CA chapter 491, Santa Ynez Pilot's Association, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and the National Air and Space Museum.

Diane was always the first to volunteer for any work needing to be done, whether it was just swabbing the hangar floor for the P-nut scale contest, baking cookies for the EAA chapter 527 meeting, or serving meals at a Santa Ynez chapter 491 support function. She was usually the first to arrive and the last to leave. Diane loved sport aviation and flying in uncontrolled airspace. She was active in EAA's "Young Eagles" program, providing airtime for kids in the Citabria. All fledgling pilots received lots of encouragement from Diane to keep plugging away at their goals. She would relate her own experiences to let them know they weren't the first to have doubts or troubles mastering a particular skill.

Diane and Geoff worked with Clyde and Shy Bourgeois in the restoration of Clyde's D17S Beechcraft Staggerwing N480. The aircraft was displayed at Oshkosh after completion.

On August 13, 1994, Diane was taken from us quite suddenly in a horseback riding accident. The following Saturday, August 20, a wake was held in her honor at Santa Ynez Valley Airport, Santa Ynez, CA. The gathering included a flying tribute. Approximately twenty aircraft made up four formations including a missing man and numerous solo flights.

"We will miss you, Diane. We haven't the slightest doubt that when we enter the flight department to be issued our wings that you will be there to help us master the finer points of graceful maneuvers with our new feathers."