Barbara Diane England

B. Diane England, 81, of Ogallala, passed away on August 26, 2022, at Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala.

Diane was born September 13, 1940, at Salina, Kansas, to Ed M. and Barbara H. (Myers) Cobb. The family moved to Abilene, Kansas, in 1941 and, later, Ogallala in 1945.

Diane graduated from Ogallala Senior High School with the class of 1959 and married former husband J.W. England shortly thereafter. On March 15, she welcomed her only child Kathryn (England) Lapp. They made their home in Ogallala, with Diane working at the courthouse until attending Kearney State in 1965, where she earned a degree in education. She held teaching positions in Gaylord, KS, Gothenburg, and Beatrice before her daughter Kathryn became ill. The two moved back to Ogallala to be closer to family. While in Ogallala, Diane chose to work at TRW until receiving her real estate license. Serval years later, she would take over Cobb Realty from her father, Ed Cobb, as managing Broker, a position she kept until passing it to her granddaughter in 2019.

In her retirement (If you could call it that), she enjoyed traveling notary work. Diane loved the solitude of driving across the state and getting to meet new people on a regular basis. She spent time lavishing attention on her two dogs, Topsy and Torrie, and spent time with her great-grandchildren and friends.

Diane loved to travel! She went to England, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Mexico, and many more places seeing the world with her family and friends. Her favorite place to go was always New Mexico, where she loved to visit the shops and purchased so much of her signature turquoise jewelry. In later years her travel kept her closer to home, but she still frequently visited friends in Kansas, Denver, and Eastern Nebraska. She was never the type to hold still.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Kathryn Lapp, her mother Barbara Cobb, her father Ed Cobb, and her infant grandson Nicholas Walburn.

She leaves behind her two grandchildren, Nicole Walburn, and her husband, Charlie Huntsman of Ogallala, NE. Matthew Lapp and his wife, Asiah Lapp of Papillion, NE; 4 great-grandchildren, Hayden Walburn, Trinity Walburn, Arianna Walburn, and Sawyer Lapp; a brother, Ben Cobb of Lawrence, KS; and two nephews, Matt and Daniel Cobb; as well as two great nephews and a great-niece, two loving dogs, and many beloved friends.

A memorial has been established in Diane's memory for later designation. Condolences may be shared at prairiehillsfuneralhome.com. Services will be streamed live at methodistchurchogallala.com.

Services will be held on Thursday, September 1, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the Ogallala United Methodist Church, with Pastor Curtis Magelky officiating. Interment will be in the Ogallala Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., at the Prairie Hills Funeral Home in Ogallala.

Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.