Diannia Kerbo

A Tribute to Diannia Lynn Kerbo

Diannia Lynn (Whitley) Kerbo was born in October of 1945, in Hobbs, New Mexico, on April 13, 2018 Diannia Lynn Kerbo passed away.

Diannia lived in Hobbs, New Mexico until she met and married Ronal Kerbo of Lovington, New Mexico. Diannia and Ronal first met in 1962. After he asked her twice she agreed to marry him on March 19, 1964. From their marriage date until February 29, 1976, they lived in Lovington except for a brief few months in Dallas, Texas in 1964. During their time in Lovington their three children were born: Misti Dawn Waddle; Christi Dean Kerbo; and Damon Scott Kerbo.

Diannia lived with Ronal and her family within Carlsbad Caverns National Park from 1976 until 1990. During their time at Carlsbad Caverns Diannia worked for the Cavern Supply Company and the Guadalupe Mountains Carlsbad Caverns Cooperating Association. From her home atop the cave Diannia became hostess to cave explorers from all over the world. She prepared fabulous dinners for speleologists, geologists, biologists, archeologists, paleontologists and many other scientists and seekers of knowledge. She could be counted on to feed fresh tacos to wet, muddy and tired cave divers at 2:30 am or be up at the crack of dawn to feed breakfast to cavers about to make first ascents to the high ceilings of Carlsbad Cavern. Cavers camped everywhere from the floors of her home to the backyard in tents or simply on the ground. The greats of the caving world visited in her home where she had smiles and good will for all.

Above all she was a mother, a wife, and a constant companion in all weathers to Ronal. Over the course of her life Diannia became a grandmother to four children, two boys James Hunt and James Kerbo and his wife Crecia Kerbo; and two girls Amber Hunt and Desiree Kerbo; and a great grandmother to two boys Darius and Damien Kerbo.

Giant green chili burritos at Tecolote Café and looking out at giant spring snowflakes spiraling down on Santa Fe. Trying to get home in the winter of 1976-1977 through a terrible Texas ice storm, taking two days to drive from Hurst, Texas, to Carlsbad Caverns. Backpacking into the Santa Fe National Forest and the Pecos Wilderness with the children when they were 4, 6 and 7. Introducing Misti to caving when she was only 3. Backpacking and camping under a full moon in the backcountry of White Sands National Monument.

Diannia and Ronal took thousands of photographs of birds and other wildlife. Daily they celebrated and cherished the wild country in which they were fortunate enough to live; daily they celebrated each other.

Diannia will be cremated and no service is planned at this time (as per decisions made by both of us years ago) but there will be a memorial for her at a later date.

~~~

When Daffodils Bloom We Will Be Ready

When Daffodils Lose Their Blooms, We Will Be Ready

A Wonder filled Stroll through Life and Love with Diannia Lynn Kerbo

The changing of the seasons is always a time of excitement. No matter if it is spring, summer, fall or winter coming on the land, exploration will be at hand. Wind song will be heard, coming with the dawn over the plains or down from the mountains on the wings of Hawks. Wild geese will V across the morning sky and phoebes will play the background notes for the day's adventures. All around will be the love of life. We hold fast in our minds and hearts as our breath mingles together. It soars, upward spreading out with our excitement for the wonderments that lie before us for the taking.

For 54 years our hearts have beat not as one but as two together, merging and growing our perspectives on life. We received the great good grace to know that hand and hand we were different together-seeing at once a grayed stump of a long dead tree, the other's eyes saw that upon the gray was a crimson dragonfly. The river shimmered and rushed along its way. A delicate egret danced in the shallows while an osprey lifted a brown trout onto a gnarled breakfast perch high above the sound of the traveling water.

Below the surface of the water and the rock lie great wonders wearing cloaks of blue and black. We swam and crawled into and through the earth's caves, lakes, and seas with our imaginations on full alert. The first time you held a bat and felt its heart beating thrilled you, becoming something you loved to tell people who had never let their lives experience the natural world.

The reward for those travels into and beyond the unknown has been a fullness of life that we have embraced since we first stepped beyond the fields we knew. We never sought comfort born out of complacency. That comfort was not what we wanted. Our comfort often came from being uncomfortable.

Down the road can be found the song of the meadowlark and the clouds over the mountains. Climb over the fence have your camera ready and see how close you can get to the meadowlark before the rain comes. The thunder warns you that lightning strikes are nearby. Find shelter and raise your laughter into the thunder because you have been able to experience such a day.

Ours has been a home filled with the voices of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mingled with the voices have been sounds of laughter, the sight of tears on cheeks, first words spoken, first words read from books, flashes of anger, whirlwinds of love, music and dance, stomping of feet, tiptoeing in the night, running across the floor, leaping up the stairs and other things that makes a house a home overflowing.

We have stumbled, fallen, walked and crawled in life. The everlasting love that has been ours has lit the mind behind our eyes. We embrace all those we love: family, friends and the extended embrace to those just met. We do not hide from our mistakes, our missteps, our human frailties. We take responsibility for what we have done and may be doing.

We have stopped the car and danced on the roadside to a radio tune. We have slept on the ground in a snowstorm, waded into a river to get a better angle for a photograph. Every day there has been a touch, a time to say I love you, and a kiss upon the lips between the two of us.