Diane Riffle Anderson

Western Baptist College (now Corban University) in Salem, OR -Graduated in 1972 with my Bachelor's degree in Music (Applied Voice)
Taught school for a year in San Jose, CA
Married David Anderson - June 22, 1973
He was already in church ministry as an Associate/Youth/Music Pastor in CA when we married. We continued in ministry in CA until 1975. Our son, Jeff, was born there in October,1974. We moved to Spokane, WA in November of 1975 where we ran a janitorial business, and David was Associate Pastor at a church.
Our daughter, Kristin, was born there in May, 1977. In December, 1978, we moved to Libby, MT where David pastored a church for 4-1/2 years. Our youngest daughter, Kari, was born there in 1980. In 1982 we moved back to CA where David became the pastor of a church in San Dimas, CA, and we were there 8 years. 1990 brought us back to WA, where we ministered in a church in Redmond until 1993. We left the church, but stayed in the area for the next few years. David worked for Lake Washington School District as a bus driver, and also for Graylines of Seattle as a tour bus driver. I worked at Family Christian Store in Totem Lake for 6 years, and also taught private piano and voice lessons in my home (I have been doing that off and on since high school!). In 1999, we were asked to come to Gatewood Baptist Church in West Seattle--David as Associate Pastor, and I as the music director and music teacher at our Christian school. We were with that church until David went Home to the Lord in August, 2007,after an 18-month battle with brain cancer.
I praise God for bringing us together and His loving guidance in our lives for the 34 years we were married. Since David's death, God has continued to provide for me in so many ways! I have been living in Florida for the last 7 years because I was asked to come be the Music Director/Music Teacher at Grace Bible Church and Christian School in 2010. It has been a wonderful time of ministry for me. I will continue to work as long as I can, but I pray that God will keep leading me where he wants me to go. This last January, after a few months of failing health, I underwent open heart surgery and had aortic valve replacement. It was touch and go during the surgery with some complications, but God brought me through it, and I am feeling very well and getting stronger! It made me realize just how short our life here on this earth really is, and that's why I am so looking forward to our reunion-- to once again see many long-lost friends! When you think of all that has happened to all of us collectively in the last fifty years--college, military, marriages, children, job changes, divorce or deaths, grandchildren, retirement (for some!), and the list goes on-- we now have this one chance to reconnect with each other and hopefully stay connected with some for the rest of our lives! What a wonderful blessing! I am really looking forward to seeing so many of you and remembering the "good ol' days" as well as catching up on our lives since '67!

All through my school years my life was filled with being involved in music- from elementary @ Maple Park, Meadowdale Jr High (Mr. Olson was the choir teacher there), and then @ Meadowdale High with Mr. Burton. I loved choir & Impressions all three years, and my senior year I also got to be in the musical "The King & I." Two other highlights during my senior were: the Impressions' tour in Alaska & representing Meadowdale at All-Northwest Choir in Missoula, MT. Impressions members--Remember all the fundraising we had to do to get the funds we needed to go to Alaska? The thing that brought in the most money was chopping wood, selling and delivering it by the cord to people! But it wasn't without it's problems-- Mr. Burton had an accident with the chain saw and cut his foot badly, and was on crutches for weeks!! But we made it up there, and had a blast!