Mrs. Diane Elizabeth Bessai

Obituary

Diane Elizabeth Bessai passed peacefully on the afternoon of April 20th in Toronto, surrounded by her family. At 92, she leaves a legacy as a beloved mother, a lifelong arts scholar, and a pioneering voice in 20th-century Canadian theatre and literature.

Diane's resilience and conviction made her a mentor and pioneer, celebrated by her family and the academic community. She is remembered for her academic achievements and her role as a loving mother and grandmother. She is survived by her sister, Mary Kay Brown; her four sons, John, Carl, Thomas, and Frank; their wives and partners, Sandra, Laura, and Maria; and her adoring grandchildren, Riel, Julian, Santiago, Kaiyash, Jakob, Matias, Ziggy, Lucas, Justin, and Evangeline.

Born on June 22, 1931, in Brantford, Ontario, Diane was the daughter of Reginald Lane, an Anglican Minister, and Marion Lane. Her intellectual prowess and love for literature were evident from an early age. She pursued her education at the University of Western Ontario and later at the University of London, where she earned an MA in English with a focus on Virginia Woolf. Returning to Canada in the late '50s, Diane began a distinguished teaching career at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Here, she met her husband, Frank Bessai (Ph.D.), married him in 1963, and started a family. After Frank’s untimely passing in 1969, Diane faced the daunting challenge of raising four young boys while pursuing her Ph.D. Despite these trials, her dedication to her family never wavered. Her tenure at the university broke through significant barriers of the era and helped pave the way for other women striving to establish their academic careers.

Shortly after achieving tenure, Diane co-founded NeWest Press in 1977, a publishing collective aimed at championing Western Canadian literature. This initiative was particularly important in a predominantly male-dominated publishing industry. The collective, which included Diane, held many of their formative sessions in her living room, highlighting her dedication to nurturing literary talent and promoting Canadian culture. A staunch patron of Canadian culture, Diane's enthusiasm for theatre was evident at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, where she was a regular, animatedly discussing plays and scouting for emerging talent. Her seminal 1992 book, The Canadian Dramatist, Volume Two: The Playwrights of Collective Creation, underscored her passion for the transformative power of collective creation in Canadian theatre.

Diane’s influence extends through generations, from the dinner conversations that inspired her sons to her grandchildren’s academic and creative pursuits. Her favourite poet, W.B. Yeats:

'Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.'

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Cathedral Church of Saint James, 106 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario.

Donations can be made in Diane Bessai’s memory to Theatre Network of Edmonton. www.theatrenetwork.ca

1 (780) 453 2440

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