MITCHELL (Walker), Diana Marion

Died peacefully in Halifax on December 7, 2020, from complications after a fall. She is survived by her daughters, Beth ( Pascal Ertle), France; Jane ( Brent Foxall), Halifax; Daphne (Bill Macgregor), Thunder Bay; as well as grandchildren, Diana and Holly Foxall, William and Daphne Nakhid (Naresh Nakhid), Peter, Frances and George Macgregor. She is also survived by her brother, Harry Walker and his wife, Anne; her brotherin-law, Graham Mitchell and his wife, Mary; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Diana was predeceased by her husband, George; her sister, Daphne First; and her beloved daughter, Chris Mitchell. Diana was born on October 28, 1931, in Toronto, Ont., to Helen (Wright) and Gerald Walker. After graduating from University of Toronto with a degree in Art and Archaelology Diana worked at the Royal Ontario Museum. While traveling through Nova Scotia with friends, Diana met the love of her life, George Mitchell, at a lobster boil on Hubbards Beach. After a year in Toronto and the birth of their first child the family moved to Halifax and Diana embraced all that Halifax had to offer. Diana, our mother, was a force of nature. A strong personality and presence; energized, giving, athletic, competitive, family focused and above all, an artist. She loved colour and the interplay of colours in daily life and nature, in fabric for her quilts and in the art she enjoyed experiencing at galleries and in books. She loved books and reading and at the same time rarely stopped moving, walking and running rather than sitting. She was a born leader, whether at her beloved Havergal College or at the camp that shaped her outdoor spirit. She was a do’er and kept her father’s tools and nail set her entire life - insisting on fixing things first. From Art and Archaelogy at University of Toronto to co-founding the Art Sales and Rental in Nova Scotia, to her love of Nova Scotian Folk Art, to family gatherings, canoe and bike trips, golf in Chester and Florida, she had a happy and fulfilling life. She maintained great friendships from her childhood and her life in Halifax, that were spread around the world and over the decades - still keeping in touch after all these years. She leaves a legacy of artful quilts and her unique outlook on life. We will miss her terribly and hope a little of her spirit lives on in each of us. We would like to thank the staff at Parkland at the Gardens for their professional and empathetic care of our mother in a nourishing environment. A private service will be announce, a donation can be made to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Feed Nova Scotia or to a charity of your choice.