In Loving Memory of
Diane Marie Disney Miller
December 18, 1933 - November 19, 2013
Diane Marie Disney Miller
A Memorial Tribute
At the time of her death, Diane was president of the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Family Foundation, the nonprofit organization than owns and operates the Walt Disney Family Museum located in the Presidio in San Francisco. The museum, which opened in 2009, was established to promote and inspire creativity and innovation and celebrate and study the life of Walt Disney.
While primarily devoting her earlier life to raising her seven children, over the past two decades, Diane undertook an active advocacy to document the life and accomplishments of her father, who had been the subject of poorly researched biographies and inaccurate rumors. She was also concerned that his name had become more of a corporate identity than a reference to the man himself. In 2001 the Walt Disney Family Foundation released The Man Behind the Myth, a documentary film about Walt Disney’s life featuring interviews with his colleagues, peers, and family.
Diane had earlier worked tirelessly with her mother who was Lillian Disney, to conceive and complete the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. She was an ardent supporter of architect Frank Gehry as its designer.
Diane, a lifelong pianist herself with a passion for classical music, has been a generous benefactor to the San Francisco Symphony, Napa’s Music in the Vineyards, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She was also a benefactor to many other causes, including the Pathway Home in Yountville, California and the Halo Trust.
When she was 20, Diane was introduced to 21-year-old USC student Ron Miller, a member of the football team, on a blind date after a Cal-USC game. They married in a small Episcopal Church ceremony in Santa Barbara on May 9, 1954. Mr. Miller then served in the Army and played professional football before Walt convinced him to come work for him, and he ascended from film directing and production work to president and CEO of what is now The Walt Disney Company. But, with the children grown, Ron left the company and the entertainment industry in 1984, and he and Diane went on to develop the renowned Silverado Vineyards Winery in Napa, which became their home.
All who knew Diane would agree that her enthusiasm and energy was incredible. She dove into projects with passion and determination, and brought that same intensity into her personal life as well. Partners for almost 60 years, she and Ron always set aside time to be in nature, skiing in Colorado and swimming in the ocean in Hawaii throughout their lives. Autumns spent at their ranch in Colorado were something she always looked forward to. When home in Napa, they spent most weekends tending their rose, dogwood, and rhododendron gardens. They instilled the same respect for nature and family in their children and grandchildren.
Above all, Diane’s greatest love was for her family. She is survived by her husband Ron, children Christopher D. Miller, Joanna Miller, Tamara Miller, Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walter Elias Miller, Ronald Miller and Patrick Miller and grandchildren Annabelle Rey, Nick Runeare, Ryan Scheer, Sam Goff, Danielle Durham, Sebastian Runeare, Charlotte Goff, Lilly Goff, Haley Scheer, Reilly Miller, Maddy Goff, William Miller and Elias Miller, and great granddaughter Stella Durham.
Diane went through life with a determination to stimulate and entertain. She was her father’s daughter, with a creative strength and perseverance to follow dreams and make a difference.
Silverado Vineyards, Napa, California
"Diane Marie Disney Miller was a wonderful and beautiful person! She is my first cousin, and like her famous dad, she loved her family more than anything! Diane was always very kind and sincere and loving to me and my own family. She lives on in eternity and in the many uplifting endeavors she was able to accomplish throughout her entire lifetime. And I do deeply miss her..."
Charles Elias Disney, First Cousin to Diane
Diane Disney Miller was the author of wonderful books about her beloved dad who was Walt Disney!
WALT, The Man Behind The Myth
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The Story of Walt Disney
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Walt Disney, His Life In Pictures
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Diane Marie Disney Miller in San Francisco
Diane Marie Disney Miller was born on Monday, December 18, 1933.
She passed from this life on Tuesday, November 19, 2013. May she Requiescat In Pace!
Diane Marie Disney Miller was the beloved daughter of Walt and Lillian Disney and the sister of Sharon and the adored wife of Ronald W. Miller and the loving Mother of Seven Children And Thirteen Grandchildren.
Walt Disney and his beautiful daughter Diane Marie
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Ron and Diane Disney Miller at their Silverado Vineyards in Napa, California
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Silverado Vineyards 6121 Silverado Trail, Napa, California 94558
(707) 257-1770
Pluto and Mickey Mouse greatly saddened at the untimely passing of Diane Marie Disney Miller...on Tuesday, November 19, 2013
"Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins..."
Diane and her Father (Walt Disney) loved this song and would sing it often, together.
Lyrics presented here In Loving Memory of Diane and her Dad...
"Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins"
“Feed The Birds” from Walt Disney’s classic film
"Mary Poppins"
Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's Cathedral in London,
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls,
Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she's calling to you:
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag"
"Come, buy my bags full of crumbs;
Come feed the little birds,
Show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Feed the birds," that's what she cries
While overhead, her birds fill the skies
All around the Cathedral the Saints and Apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can't see it,
You know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares…”
....This favorite song was often sung by Walt Disney together with his beloved daughter Diane and the songs composers and collaborators at his Steinway Grand Piano in his office at Walt Disney Productions in Burbank, California, and most often on Friday’s at the close of Walt's business week….
Walt Disney with Richard and Robert Sherman singing "Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins" in Walt's office
"Saving Mr. Banks" really is a tender and enjoyable film about Walt Disney when he was long negotiating with P. L. Travers for the film rights for her novel "Mary Poppins." This family film starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as Pamela Travers will be enjoyed by all people who admire Walt Disney and will provide insight into the nearly 20 years Walt spent convincing the author, Pamela L. Travers, to provide him with the film rights to this wonderful enduring and beautiful classic story of "Mary Poppins."
"Saving Mr. Banks" ends with this affectionate credit salutation:
In Honor of Diane Disney Miller 1933-2013
"Thanks, Bob Iger!"
ANOTHER FILM TO ENJOY WITH VERY PERSONAL INSIGHTS INTO THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WALT DISNEY AND WITH A FOREWORD BY DIANE DISNEY MILLER, PRIOR TO HER PASSING AWAY, AND STARRING THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS AS WALT DISNEY...
WALT
BEFORE MICKEY
- This is a film all about the early years [1919-1928] of Walt Disney based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Susanin with a foreword by Diane Disney Miller.
- Walt's love for animals was instilled in his heart as a youngster living on a farm in Marceline, Missouri. Walt's first studio was Kaycee Studios before Laugh-O-grams Studio, both in Kansas City, Missouri. This is where he had a pet mouse he called Mortimer!
- This film is a wonderful biography of Disney's early years from 1919 to 1928. Walt was the most famous animator and entertainment legend of all time! This story is viewed from the perspective of his beloved daughter Diane Disney Miller.
- Your family should enjoy this heartfelt and historical true story about the life and times of the beloved Walt Disney!
- "Uncle Walt Disney would have loved this film!"
- ... Charles Elias Disney
- NOW ON DVD
Walt Disney’s First Cartoon Critter
Written By: The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica
OSWALD The Lucky Rabbit
The entertainment empire built by Walt Disney is sometimes called the “House of Mouse” in acknowledgment of the leading role played by Disney’s most famous creation, Mickey Mouse. Mickey’s round mouse ears, either in silhouette or adorning a hat, have become one of the most recognizable corporate logos in the world. But if a few business decisions in the 1920s had gone differently, they could have been rabbit ears.
In the mid-1920s Disney was a young animator producing a series called the Alice Comodies, short films that combined live-action footage with animated images so that human actors appeared to interact with cartoon characters. But he had grown tired of the series and wanted to move on to making completely animated films. In 1927 he got his wish, striking a deal with Universal to produce a new series based on the adventures of a character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Both the name and the species of the character had been picked by Universal—“Oswald” was apparently picked out of a hat of names, and the character was made a rabbit because there were already too many cartoon cats on the market.
Disney and his chief animator, Ub Iwerks, got to work, but their first film was a disappointment and Universal refused to release it. Mostly the studio heads took issue with the design of the Oswald character, who seemed old and pudgy. Disney and Iwerks went back to the drawing board and produced a neater, more energetic-looking Oswald—who bears an unmistakable physical resemblance to a certain affable everymouse Disney would design later. Disney also took pains to create a distinctive personality for Oswald, making him mischievous and impulsive but still likeable.
Oswald’s first film, Trolley Troubles, debuted on September 5, 1927. In it Oswald drives a streetcar loaded with his rabbit children and other assorted critters, negotiating a variety of obstacles with physics-defying aplomb. (Cow on the tracks? Better go under it.) At one point he detaches his own foot, kisses it for luck, and reattaches it. The film was a success, and Disney and Iwerks began producing new films on a two-week schedule. Oswald also served as Disney’s introduction to the business of licensing characters for merchandise; a line of Oswald-branded candy bars went on sale for five cents apiece.
Disney’s days with the franchise were numbered, though. He had struggled with his distributor, Charles Mintz, over financial and creative issues, and, once the Oswald character was established, Mintz forced Disney out by hiring away his animators to form a new studio and then offering him a less-empowered position that he was certain to reject. Because Disney didn’t own the rights to Oswald, he was forced to leave the character behind. He learned a valuable lesson though and made sure he owned the copyright to his next character, Mickey Mouse, which debuted in November 1928.
Oswald continued to appear in films for more than a decade after Disney’s departure, although he was eventually overshadowed by Disney’s new creation. In a surprise move, the Walt Disney Company acquired the rights to Oswald from Universal in 2006, and today the character is undergoing something of a renaissance. Oswald now appears in some Disney entertainment and merchandise, including a 2010 video game in which he had a starring role.
Walt Disney passes from this life and leaves his legacy for the entire world to enjoy, forever!
Actual letter written from Roy O. Disney
to all Disney *Employees on the very day when Walt Disney passed away...
*Walt actually referred to his employees as "Cast Members"
to all Disney *Employees on the very day when Walt Disney passed away...
*Walt actually referred to his employees as "Cast Members"
Walt Disney bids a "fond farewell" to his dear friends
Mickey Mouse & Oswald the Rabbit on the day he passes away on Thursday, December 15, 1966
in St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California.
Indeed, a very sad day, for all of us...
Twisted Wind artist rendering
Walter Elias Disney was born on Thursday, December 5, 1901 in
Chicago, Illinois. He learned to love all of God's Creatures in Marceline, Missouri. He established his first business enterprise in Kansas City, Missouri, and then in Hollywood and Burbank, California, Walt and Roy established the Disney Bros. Cartoons.
In Anaheim, California he created the original Disneyland! He is never far from our thoughts and Walt Disney lives on forever in our hearts...
And as Mufasa, King of the Pride, reminds his son Simba:
"Remember Who You Are!"
