Diane was a friend of Coyote Gulch. She was always friendly, encouraging, informative, and generally interested in those around her, and in the water issues facing Colorado.
The first time I had the opportunity to talk at length with Diane the conversation drifted towards storage.
“Everyone wants gravel pits,” she said.
I said to myself, “Diane knows the South Platte River.”
She will be missed.
Here’s the announcement from the Colorado Water Conservation Board:
With a heavy heart we regret to inform you that Colorado has lost a truly remarkable woman in Diane Hoppe, who passed away on Saturday, February 27.
Diane, a native of Colorado, was raised in Sterling. She spent almost 30 years in both the public and private sectors stewarding Colorado’s natural and agricultural resources.
“Representative Hoppe’s contribution to the State of Colorado was substantial and the loss of her leadership and friendship will be felt by many statewide,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Diane’s list of accomplishments is inspiring, and here are a few of the many. Diane served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1999 through 2006 and chaired the House Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources Committee, the Water Interim Committee, and the Water Resources Review Committee, and served as Minority Whip. She was a founding member of the Colorado Foundation for Water Education and served as President from 2002 through 2007. Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Diane to the Colorado Water Conservation Board as the South Platte Basin representative in 2012, and she was elected chair of the Board in 2015. Diane received many honors during her lifetime including the Colorado Water Congress 2013 Wayne N. Aspinall Award for Outstanding Water Leader.
Diane Hoppe’s spirit will forever be remembered and will serve as an inspiration to the many lives she touched.
Here’s a column she penned about the Colorado Water Plan and its importance to the state.