[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DIANE PORTER COOLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 30, 2022

  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the vibrant 
life of Diane Porter Cooley, a pillar of the Pajaro Valley and Santa 
Cruz County community, who passed away on March 10, 2022.
  Born to a family that settled in Santa Cruz County in the 1850s, and 
raised on Las Lomas Ranch in Watsonville, Diane had a deep connection 
to the land and people of the central coast of California. Her father 
Tom was one of the four founders of Driscoll Berries, and Diane 
continued her involvement with agriculture until her death. Diane and 
her husband, Don, were active members of the community, constantly 
engaged in the issues they cared about.
  A deeply passionate civic leader, Diane worked tirelessly to protect 
and preserve the environment, and was an outspoken advocate for the 
people of the Pajaro Valley. She once said, ``I care for the trees but 
for humans, too. People should have the chance to thrive just like the 
Sequoia should stand tall.''
  She was a dynamic agent of change who championed the creation of the 
Elkhorn Slough Foundation, the Pajaro Valley Arts Council, the 
Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, and the Land Trust of Santa 
Cruz County. She was involved with the Nature Conservancy, served on 
the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency board, and was a supporter of 
many other causes, including Pajaro Valley Shelter Services, Salud Para 
la Genre, the University of California, Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, 
and Second Harvest Food Bank in Watsonville. We may never know just how 
many lives she touched, or how many people received an education, 
braces, medical care, a home, or love when they needed it most thanks 
to her.
  Madam Speaker, Diane Porter Cooley's outreach and philanthropy 
extended far and wide throughout our community. As Santa Cruz County 
bids farewell to its beloved daughter of 95 years, may her legacy of 
giving continue to inspire us for generations to come.

                          ____________________