Diane Arathorn

Diane Lee (Dexter) Arathorn, 65, passed away November 8, 2012, in Bozeman, Montana, where she had lived for the last 12 years. She was born in Topeka, Kansas, March 11, 1947, daughter of Dr. Howard Dexter and Mrs. Lola (Higley) Dexter of Topeka, granddaughter of Perry and Grace (Leland) Higley of Cummings, KS, and Otto and Leona (Morrell) Frankenfeld of Winfield, KS. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, David Arathorn of Bozeman, her children, Alicia, 26, and Mason, 23, and her three siblings, Nathan Dexter of Casper, WY, Grace (Dexter) Morrison of Topeka, KS, and Perry Dexter of El Cerrito, CA. She grew up in Tecumseh, KS, where she attended First Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Tecumseh grade school, and Shawnee Heights High School. She lived briefly in Boston then moved to the San Francisco area, where she graduated in Clinical Psychology from UC Berkeley, and met her lifelong spouse, David. Diane had many amazing talents, including singing, sewing, and above all cooking. Her interest in cooking began at age 12, and ultimately grew to studying at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris, and helping establish noted San Francisco restaurants Chez Panisse, Square One, and Inn Season. She also did extensive recipe testing for Carol Fields' classic cookbook, The Italian Baker. In 1983, she was featured in a 12-page, 30-picture article in Bon Appetit Magazine. While living in Oakland, CA, she, her husband, and her brother Perry, founded and operated the Metropolis Baking Company, a bakery that became well known in the Bay Area. After having children, she and her family moved to Ketchum, ID, and then to Bozeman, MT where she lived until her death. Funeral services and burial were held on Monday, November 12, 2012, in Bozeman, MT. Her family plans to hold a memorial service for her at a later date, and plan to place a memorial marker in the cemetery in Pardee Township, Atchison County, KS, where her parents, grandparents, and many other family members are buried. Diane Lee (Dexter) Arathorn