Diane Clapp Burns

1940 - 2022

Diane Clapp Burns
June 3, 1940 - October 28, 2022
Austin , Texas - No doubt Diane Burns is quoting one of her favorite writers, Dan Jenkins, right now: "I knew this would happen. "Either that or "well, hell's bells!"
Heart failure and lung cancer brought Diane to the end of "life its ownself" on October 28, 2022, at Atria at the Arboretum, in Austin, Texas. She was 82 and had lived a good three years beyond her doctors' predictions, which surprised no one who knew her.
Diane Wrenn was born an only child in Stanberry, Missouri, to Dr. John A. and Mildred Maxine "Mano" Wrenn, and grew up in Sulphur, Oklahoma. Diane's father, who died when she was 12 years old, was a small-town doctor (and would-be jazz musician). Her mother, a classic eccentric, had a home economics degree, and she passed on to Diane a strong sense of style and a love of art and design. She also instilled in Diane a lifelong love of books; she had her reading the classics at an early age.
Diane attended Sulphur High School and graduated in 1958. By this time she'd met and fallen in love with Edward William "Bill" Clapp, and they were soon married. She and Bill moved to Oklahoma City, where their son, John, was born. With a degree from Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma), Diane launched what would become an accomplished teaching career, at Gatewood Elementary. She had a natural command of the classroom, and she never tired of telling stories about her fellow teachers and her beloved "wee wees." In her free time, she shared with Bill a fascination with the Urban Cowboy era-in their hats, boots, and starched jeans, they knew all the steps to the country standards-and an adoration of their Ski Island neighborhood and neighbors. Diane could often be found out on her slalom ski or tethered to the shore in a floating chaise lounge with a buddy.
After Diane and Bill divorced, she started a new chapter in 1986, when she moved to Tulsa and married William "Joe" Burns. She continued to teach, at several schools in the Tulsa public system, until her retirement (she always joked that it was time to leave when they prohibited smoking in the teachers' lounge). She and Joe became avid cruisers, traveling from Hawaii to Alaska and all over the Caribbean. In 2016 Joe died unexpectedly (and too soon), and Diane moved to Austin to be closer to John and his family.
Diane suffered no fools and generally called it like she saw it. Nevertheless, she was as sunny as her favorite color (pale yellow). Her hair teased high and her nails painted fire-engine red, she'd always meet you at the door with a hearty "Hey, Toots!" and a giant smile. The queen of happy hour, she had a self-deprecating sense of humor and a natural magnetism that drew everyone to her. She was well read but returned again and again to her favorite mystery novels, and her skill at crosswords was legendary. Best of all, she was always equipped for any situation with an arsenal of Murray County idioms, from "well, I'll be dipped in pure!" to "for cryin' in a bucket!"
Diane is survived by her son, John Clapp, his partner, Shannon Stahl, and their child, Charlie Clapp, of Austin; Joelle and Mike Hendrick and their daughters, Sydney and Hayley, of Kansas City; Janelle and Jose Otoya and their children, Brandon and Katie, of Olathe; and Jennifer Burns, of Kansas City.
Whenever she was asked about her wishes regarding a memorial service, her response was invariably "Oh, hell, just strew my ashes under an old tree somewhere!" As she was an Okie and a Sooner through and through, this tree will likely be somewhere north of the Red River.
Having forgone a ceremony, all Diane would ask is that those who loved her occasionally sit down to an OU football game and lift a glass of sauvignon blanc in her memory.