It is with sadness that the family of Dianne Buchholz (nee Cooper) announces her sudden passing October 13. She was 54. She is survived by her husband Robert, mother Sharron, brother Mitchell (Mima), Teresa Buchholz, Kevin (Mandy) Buchholz, David Buchholz, and niece Violet, nephew Jackson.
Dianne was born January 21, 1969, and grew up on the family farm, located a few miles north of Moose Jaw. She loved farm life. As a child, she helped during calving season, and applied that experience in 4H. She threw hay bales. She rode horses. She was in every way, a prairie girl.
Attending Lindale School and later Central Collegiate Institute in Moose Jaw, she was a passionate athlete in both basketball and volleyball. But her true love was those horses. She adored them, and they adored her back. The teenager was a gifted rider and competitor. The entire family supported her interest, often loading up Dianne’s American Quarter, Horses Flash or Smokey, to compete in AQHA events throughout the prairies and US. In the late 1980s, her skill as a horse person took her to Italy, where trained wealthy horse owners how to operate their expensive equine property.
Dianne was caring. She sponsored children via World Vision for decades. She was committed to animal welfare, rescuing all mixes and manners of dogs, including Yogi, Kiki, Charger, Lexi, Rusty and Lucy. And she never forgot anyone at Christmas, most especially her beloved nieces and nephews.
She distinguished herself as a caregiver in high school first here in Moose Jaw, working at Extendicare and later at Valley View Center. She later trained in, and practiced, physical rehabilitation at Westside Care in Kelowna, BC.
It was during her time in Kelowna in the early 1990s that Dianne threw herself into fitness and bodybuilding. Armed with her trademark determination and single-digit body fat, Dianne competed against the fittest bodybuilders around. It also led her to a life-long career in personal training.
The grandchild of a veteran, Dianne was always drawn to military service. At the age of 37, she joined the Navy. She was the oldest in her mostly male-boot camp. But she impressed her troop with her drive and ability to beat almost anybody in push up competitions. She went on to serve on HMCS Oriole.
In the early 2000s, she returned to her hometown where she threw herself into work as a security guard at the Moose Jaw Casino. As usual, her side hustle was personal training. This is where she met her future husband, Robert. They married in 2011 and made their home in Moose Jaw. Over the years, she worked at many things, from selling vitamins to grooming dogs.
By far, the happiest time in Dianne’s life was 2019 when she, Robert and hounds Yogi, Kiki and Charger hit the road as long-haul truckers. Together, her little family rode in a semi, logging a quarter-million kilometres in a year, delivering goods to 18 US states and ten Canadian provinces. She had all she needed then: a good challenge, travel and the love of her husband and her loyal hounds.
Dianne’s life ended suddenly, and too early, but the family is consoled by knowing it was not an ordinary life. She was good, she did good, and she mattered. The best of Dianne will be remembered with fondness and love.
A Celebration of Dianne’s Life will be held on Wednesday October 25, 2023, at 1:00 PM at W.J. Jones & son Funeral Home, 474 Hochelaga St W, Moose Jaw, SK.
In lieu of gifts, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada (https://alzheimer.ca).
In living memory of Dianne, a memorial planting will be made by W.J. Jones & Son Ltd. Please sign the memorial register at website: www.wjjonesandson.com (Obituaries).
Blake Seebach- Funeral Director