Dianne Margaret Harkin (Hampton)

Dianne passed away peacefully at home, on Saturday November 26, 2022, surrounded by her immediate family. At a final family dinner, she was smiling and laughing with family, surrounded in the love and mayhem of great-grandchildren all around her.  She loved those moments the most. Above all, she was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, great-grandmother and friend to many.

Dianne was an energetic, vivacious woman.  She loved people!  Dianne was a supportive person to all who surrounded her. 

When the family moved from suburbia to the country farm, she quickly identified a need to assist farm women. She gathered like-minded farm women and started “Women for the Survival of Agricultural” in Canada.  She and her organization changed legislation and tax laws for not only farm women, but family farms in general.  They started the process of opening the first rural women’s shelter (Naomi’s-Winchester) and held the First National Farm Women’s conference, gathering farm women from all over Canada and many different organizations, to work as one and network. They started short educational courses for farm women, on topics that THEY wanted to learn about.

Above all Dianne was a storyteller.  She was able to find the humorous side of any situation, even crisis. Living on the farm there were always different levels of crisis happening.  Dianne has led the way, forged new paths and been an example to women of all generations. She wrote as a journalist on topics concerning farm women, local politics and more.  Her written stories of life on the farm have left others laughing along with her and relating to the situations farm life throws at you.

She loved gardening, painting, feeding huge tables of relatives after a long day of haying, and loving every single person who crossed her path.

Dianne is one of the first recipients of the “Order of Ontario”, for her work with farm women. She was also awarded an Honourary P.Ag. degree, for the same.  More recently she was inducted into the “Dundas Agricultural Hall of Fame”.  Followed shortly afterwards, by induction into the “Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame”.

Dianne is pre-deceased by her husband Daniel (Dan) and brother Fraser (Buddy).

She leaves behind her Brother Richard (Dick) [Doreen Hampton], Sisters Maureen (Reenie) [Gerry Doris] and Laurel [Alun Hibbert-deceased]. Daughter Laurie [Jacques Chiasson-deceased], Son John [Darice Cochrane]. Grandchildren Cheryl, Erin [Wayne Brewer] and Rebecca (Becky).  Plus, Great-Grandchildren Abbygale (Abby), Victoria, Summer, Chloe and Cruz.

Her youngest sister Laurel summed it up beautifully:

“You have accomplished so many things that ordinary people never manage to do in their lives.  You made life better for farm women.  You created a space of safety for abused women. The outside world noticed how very special you are as a person. You have been given awards and will remain a person of importance to our country, long after you leave us.  You wrote a blooming book!”

We are all sure she will be continuing to support her friends and family, from beyond. It is just who she is.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held at a later date.