Remembering Diana Asher

Diana once recalled how she ended up with that big responsibility 40 years ago. She shared that it came about via one short but unforgettable phone call with co-founder Faith Maloney: “I was talking to Faith, and Faith said, ‘I will do the dogs.’ And I said, ‘I’ll do the cats.’”

And that was Diana: pragmatic, selfless, problem solver, team player. Diana sometimes referred to herself as a bit non-social and preferred to be behind the scenes. She was quick with a compliment and never said no to a person or an animal in need.

She was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, England. Her father was a schoolmaster, and her mother was an aristocrat. Diana was one of four children, some of whom were accomplished musicians.

She attended Eastbourne public high school and learned to speak both German and French. One of Diana’s earliest passions was dance — in particular ballet. She moved to London after high school to study dancing and acting for two years. It was the swinging ’60s, and Diana was all in — from knee-high vinyl boots to mini skirts.

But many years later, she would find herself in the rustic red rock canyons of Utah, having followed her friends and their shared dream to open an animal sanctuary there.

She worked tirelessly to create Cat World, insisting on the best possible care for the kitties, many of whom arrived with respiratory conditions. She worked closely with the vets and became an expert at providing care for cats with a range of conditions. The level of care and attention that she brought to cats was unprecedented at the time.

When the need arose in the early 1990s for all available hands to be on deck to raise funds and keep Best Friends going, Diana packed up her kit and went tabling with others throughout northern Arizona, Utah, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

As she neared retirement, her love of horses led to her helping at Best Friends’ Horse Haven, where she also taught volunteers about grooming and caring for horses. But she always considered the founding of Cat World to be her greatest accomplishment.

Diana was offbeat and eccentric in the time-honored British fashion. She was intuitive to the point of seeming psychic. But she was also tough as nails. She spoke very directly and was a true force for the animals. She was asked once about her hope for the future of Best Friends, and she said, “I hope it maintains its fervor and passion.”