Diane Gober

Diane McCool Gober passed away on December 17, 2025, in Columbia, Tennessee.

Born in Nashville on May 29, 1944, to Estle and Patricia McCool, Diane was the eldest of seven children and the one her family instinctively looked to - the calm in the storm, the creative thinker, the problem-solver, and the steady source of warmth and humor who made every room brighter just by entering it.

Diane met her future husband, Gary R. Gober, in Nashville, and together they built a marriage that spanned more than four decades. Their life together was marked by deep partnership, shared adventure, and a devotion to their three children that never once wavered.

Brilliant, curious, and endlessly capable, Diane brought order, creativity, and humanity to every organization and relationship she touched. She excelled in administrative management within legal offices and played a pivotal role in the success of her husband’s law firm by managing operations with both precision and heart. A natural leader, she served in prominent roles including President of the Auxiliary of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Executive Director of the Melvin M. Belli Society, Executive Director of the Taos Legal Society of Lawyers and Spouses, and on the Del Webb HOA Board.

Her work and love of travel and adventure took her across the globe, planning events in cities far from home and forging friendships wherever she went. But Diane didn’t simply “travel” - she explored. She walked on glaciers, climbed volcanoes, wandered Turkish bazaars, and once rode a camel named Mickey Mouse to the pyramids. She listened, learned, laughed, and connected with people from every culture she encountered. To Diane, the world was a classroom filled with beauty, history, and human stories, and travel was her favorite form of education.

At home, Diane was just as extraordinary. She was an exceptional cook, a skill passed down from her grandmother, and she shared that gift generously with family and friends. She was a thoughtful and welcoming host - equally at ease planning major events around the world or preparing a warm meal for loved ones gathered around her table. A passionate reader, she taught her children and grandchildren to love books the way she first learned to love them: curled up close, turning pages together.

She cared deeply for the environment and often rose before dawn on coastal vacations to help newly hatched sea turtles make their way safely to the ocean. She gave freely of

her time, her attention, her energy, and her heart - always the first to show up when someone needed support.

Family was the center of Diane’s world. Christmas was one of her most joyful traditions, and for decades she signed every gift from “Santa,” much to the delight of her grandchildren, who lovingly knew her as Mimi. What she cherished most was having her family close, hearing their laughter, supporting their dreams, and knowing they felt loved.

Diane is survived by her husband, Gary Gober; her children, Bobby Yeargin, Kimberly Yeargin, and Jennifer Worden; her siblings, Jim McCool, Mary Jane Neese, Joyce McKnight, and Jean Taylor; her grandchildren, Faith Andrea Yeargin, Elise Yeargin, Sebastian Fehrmann, Evan Osorio, and Ash Osorio; and many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Diane made life richer, kinder, and more beautiful for all who knew her. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, her boundless curiosity, her joyful laughter, and the love she poured into her family and community. Her legacy lives on in the stories she created, the adventures she inspired, and the lives she touched with grace and warmth.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in her honor.

Arrangements are entrusted to Spring Hill Memorial. No services are planned at this time. To share memories or words of comfort, please visit www.springhill-memorial.com or email Gary Gober.