Dianne Sams

Our Mother, Grandmother, and Dear Friend after a long illness went to be with the Lord on March 29,2018. She was born August 11, 1946 to Grace (Manfred) and Paul Tennseon in Spokane, WA.  She graduated from Shadle Park High School in 1946.  She then attended Gonzaga School of Nursing but was forced to change majors due to health complications.  She then graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Accounting where she also passed the bar exam becoming a CPA. 

In 1980 she researched her own adoption seeking out answers for her own health complications.  She was pleased in 1981 to meet both her birth mother and birth father who each went on to have 6 children each and to get the answers she had so many questions to.  To be raised most of her life as an only child and to learn that she has 12 half siblings was an amazing find.  In 1981 she began practicing adoption law acting as a confidential intermediary.  She was a founding member of WARM (Washington Adoptive Rights Movement).  Dianne reunited thousands of people whose lives have been affected by adoption.  She always looked to the good service she provided of making people feel whole and getting the answers they deserve.  She lived and practiced by her own motto “Every child deserves to know 2 things in life.  Their ethnicity, and their medical background to begin any type of healing process.”

 She and her husband Jean were longtime members of the Spangle Community Church where they believed in Jesus Christ with their whole hearts.  Her friends and neighbors were such a wonderful comfort after the passing of her husband in December of 2016.  

She is preceded in death by her husband Jean Sams of 50 years and both of her parents Grace (Manfred) and Paul Tenneson (Spokane, WA, and her adopted Sister Marlene Goodson (Spangle, WA).

Dianne is survived by her daughter, Traci Widick (Troy) of Spokane, WA and Spangle,WA; her son Kent Sams of Boise, ID; and grandchildren Nicholas, Trent and Trianna.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 21st, 2018, at Spangle Community Church followed by a potluck.