guest post by author Sheryl McFarlane
OBITUARY Carol “Diane” Swanson (April 5, 1944 – November 19, 2021)
Well-known Victoria, BC children's science writer, Diane Swanson, passed away after a lengthy illness. She was 77. Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta, Diane was a self-described ‘nature nut’. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in social sciences and taught in the West Indies for two years before moving to Ottawa where she worked in water services research for the Canadian government. Swanson and her husband Wayne moved to Victoria where they raised a family and Diane took up writing. She had a prolific career and published more than 70 books and 450 magazine articles. Adrienne Mason (current managing editor of Hakai Magazine and former editor of KNOW and Yes magazines) said “It was a great delight to work with Diane where she wrote the ‘Bug Beat’ column for YES Magazine, and, for a few years, ‘Know You’ in KNOW Magazine. She was a pro, delivering stellar copy on time.”
Diane’s Welcome to the World series includes 30 tiles that range from Welcome to the World of Alligators and Crocodiles to Welcome to the World of Whales. Some of her other popular series include: Animals Can Be So…series, Mysterious You series, Nature Detective — The Living World series, Up Close series as well as numerous stand alone titles like Nibbling on Einstein's Brain: The Good, the Bad, and the Bogus in Science and Coyotes in the Cross Walk.
One educator described Diane as “…such an inspiration to me when I was teaching. I kept many of her books in my classroom library, where they served as a valuable resource. Diane’s author visit to the school was a wonderful experience for the students…” Diane’s books have won or been short listed for numerous awards including: Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, The BC Book Prize, Roundtables of Canada, Information Book Award, Red Cedar and Silver Birch Readers’ Choice Awards.
Diane retired from writing some years ago but she remained an active community member, serving on the board of the SPCA, and as a volunteer at the Royal British Columbia Museum. Diane’s enthusiasm for her geo-caching hobby was so infectious that she inspired fellow author and friend, Kristen Butcher to write a mystery adventure for teens; Caching In (Orca 2013) which is dedicated to Diane. Friends and colleagues alike described her as smart, funny, inquisitive and always kind.
Diane is survived by Wayne, her husband of 56 years, daughter Carolyn, son Tim and daughter-in-law Bertha, grandsons Jeffrey and Justin, sister Joan, and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Margaret and Wilf Shreeve of Lethbridge, Alberta. Many of Diane’s books can be found at your local library or at Whitecap Books at this link and
Sheryl McFarlane is a kids’ book author. Waiting for the Whales, Jessie’s Island, A Pod of Orcas and Island in the Salish Sea are a few of her titles. Her next book, The Rocking Horse, will be released in 2022. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia. sherylmcfarlane.ca
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