Diane Sheree Byrne

Diane "Di" Sheree Byrne (Bowman) passed away peacefully at 7 AM on April 23, 2024 at her home in Bakersfield, California surrounded by family. She was comforted by family, friends, and loved ones in her final days.
Di was an amazing mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Wife, mother in law, and a loyal friend.
Di was preceded in death by her parents, Melba Pelfray, Roger Bowman, and her son James Kulstad II. She is survived by her husband, Robbie Byrne, her six children, Josh Chiarmonte, Alexia Chiarmonte, Erica Kulstad, Ryan Kulstad, Todd Hendrix, and Steven Hendrix Jr. Her grandchildren, Cameron Kulstad, Carson Kulstad, Autumn Kulstad, Jaeylah Palomino, and Steven Hendrix III. Great grandchild Jagger Tooker. As well as multiple cousins, friends from near and far.
Diane was born in Bakersfield, California to two loving parents ready to explore the world. Tragically their dreams were cut short after Diane and her mother were involved in a fatal traffic accident. At the age of eight Diana was told by many doctors that she would never walk again, but that wasn't going to stop her, she was a fighter! She grew up playing sports and had aspirations of modeling and fashion design. After graduating high school Di went on to pursue a career in the fashion industry.
In between the bulb flash and runway walks, her oldest son and daughter were born and gave her a new found passion, MOTHERHOOD. Diane still had an overwhelming urge to continue her career with modeling and fashion, so with a little bit of elbow grease and her beautiful smile, she opened her very own modeling school (Di-Stevens). She wasn't looking for the fame. She wasn't looking for wealth. Diane was trying to find a place to call home.
In the coming years Diane would set out to explore and find a place to dig her roots. Di traveled and resided all over the world, she toughed out frigid winters in New York, never-ending sunlight in Alaska, being a newlywed to Robbie, a famous author & musician in England, and to eventually return to her hometown of Bakersfield. In between the hustle and bustle Diane gave birth to five more beautiful children and would go on to start a career in dentistry, where she would spend the next 25+ years until retirement.
Diane's retirement was filled with love and joy, she loved watching her children mature, but most importantly, her favorite job of all was being a grandmother & great grandmother.
In the early hours of April 8, 2018, Diane received a phone call to inform her of the death of her son James. She was tasked with the unfathomable job to bury her son and fight for his justice. Diane sought out other mothers and members of our community to start a nonprofit to help seek out justice for the voiceless, and just like that, the Bakersfield 3 was assembled. Over the last six years the Bakersfield three nonprofit now known as Kern families against crime have raised in excess of $100,000 and have helped purchase items for our community. They made Law Enforcement aware of the rapid DNA response machine, which paved the way for a good deal, and for search and rescue equipment and monetary donations to the Kern Secret Witness program, a local nonprofit that helps solve crimes from anonymous tips using reward money.
Diane's Golden years consisted of sharing a glass of wine with her husband, lots of swim lessons, baseball practices, volleyball tournaments and dirty diapers. Her role as a grandmother was unequivocal and will never be forgotten.
In July, 2022 Diane fell ill and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, but this fork in the road wasn't going to stop Di. Her unbeatable strength and will to live could move heaven and earth, so she looked at this as a speed bump. She would be back in no time and sure enough 16 months later, she rang the bell. She had beaten the unbeatable. During remission, she lived life. She wasn't going to let her short hair and effects of chemo define who she was. She continued with her nonprofit and enjoyed time with family and friends.
Unfortunately, with one curveball, there's usually a second right behind the first and this time the cancer was back with a vengeance. But just like any other day, she would make sure all the T's were crossed and all the i's were dotted. She set forth to make sure everything was set for her departure. Diane taught us all to be strong and to never give up regardless of the odds, and regardless of the outcome.
Diane's kind heart and strong Christian Faith will shine bright for years to come, and we can all sleep peacefully, knowing that God, our Lord and savior is by her side in the kingdom of heaven.