Diana May Alwani

With a heart full of love and gratitude for her mother, Diana's daughter announces the passing of the beautiful Diana May Alwani. Diana breathed her last breaths just past 2pm on Thursday April 16th, and started her new journey into the great mystery.
Diana was surrounded by the continuous loving care of her daughter Khalilah for the two weeks leading up to her death. Diana passed peacefully with her daughter by her side, at her care home in Victoria, being sung to by Khalilah and Waleed.
After 4 days of sitting vigil, a cremation ceremony was held for Diana to mark the transition of her body back to the earth elements that it originally arose from. Cedar, love letters, a beloved book, special stones, flowers, including her favorite lilacs, blessed water and the words of loved ones accompanied into the fires of transformation. As Mum's spirit dances free, we know that she continues to watch over us, and that she is present in the manifestations of nature all around us. Diana was of Scottish, Irish, English and Welsh ancestry and the eldest of three children. Born in Prince George BC, Diana grew up on a farm there, then moved back to the coast, where her mother's family had been for a number of generations. She married Aziz Alwani and welcomed her daughter into the world while living in Vancouver in the 1980s. In 1990, Diana returned to the island with Khalilah and lived in Duncan and then Nanaimo as she raised her daughter as a single parent and returned to college to study education and pursue her passion for learning and teaching. In 2005 Diana moved to Victoria, to join her daughter who had moved there the previous year for college. Diana loved Victoria and it soon became home. For those who knew Diana, you may remember her love of books (especially a good mystery novel) and musicals, her Startrek fanship, her enthusiasm for dogs, her enjoyment of a walk down by the water, her warm and welcoming nature, her kind smile, her joyful laugh and her sweet sense of humour. Diana was an amazing mother and a loving aunty, sister, cousin, and friend. She was strong, loving, compassionate and kind. Resilient in the face of great life challenges, including living with Huntington's Disease for over 16 years. Diana was an inspiration and a great teacher, and reminded those around her to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures and present beauty of the moment. Diana is survived by her daughter Khalilah Alwani, brothers Calvin and Andy Taylor, sister-in-law Darlene, her niece, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and an extended network of dear friends, family and community. Thank you to mum's care team and the staff at Selkirk Place for the compassionate care over the last many years. Thank you to our loved ones who have walked alongside mum through her journey, and for all the support over the past few weeks, and years. It has been immense and so appreciated. Thank you to the Huntington's Society of Canada, local HD chapter and to our friends with Lifetime Networks for your friendship and community. Gratitude to the Lkwungen, WSANEC, Snuneymuxw, Quw'utsun, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam, Sḵwx̱w&uacute7mesh, and Lheidli T'enneh nations, whose homelands mum lived, loved and learned upon, during her time on this earth. And appreciation to Penny, Pashta, Earth Options, and Alternative Cremations, for your support during this sacred time of vigiling, ceremony and transition. Friends and family are invited to join in lighting a candle at 2:10pm on Thursdays to honour and remember Diana. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Huntington Society of Canada, or to a local grassroots initiative in your area that is working to care for the land, animals and people of this planet. Diana's ashes will be scattered later this spring at Royal Oak Green Burial Forest, and a memorial will take place later this year. Rest in peace dear Diana Wise Owl. Rest in peace Mama Bear.