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and a wonderful friend.
["FAMILY TREE" CHART] Josef's older brother Louis and his sisters Jennie and Sadie were born in Russia: Louis in 1900, Jean in 1902, and Sonya in 1904. Josef was the first one born in America, March 6, 1907 in Los Angeles. His younger brother Leon was also born in Los Angeles a year after Josef, April 9, 1908; and Rose was born in Seattle in 1910, the year after the family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Louis started the Auto Maintenance Company (which eventually became Diamond Parking) in Seattle in 1922 and Josef started working for Louis pumping gas and parking cars in that year, while he was a sophomore in high school. Louis also built several medical centers in Seattle, but at the close of World War II, Louis and his wife Dorothy retired, turned over the Diamond Parking business to Josef, and moved to Southern California. Jennie changed her name to Jean and always was, in Josef's opinion: "the nicest, kindest person I ever met in my entire life" She was the family bookkeeper, first for her father Michael's tailor shop, and then for Diamond Parking. Jean married Robert Howes and they had one daughter, Barbara. Josef fondly remembers that Jean never had a bad word to say about anybody, and her death in December of 1996 was a great loss to him. To be sure, Josef and Jean were mutual admirers, as may be seen in this note which Jean once wrote to him: "You know I have never had a way with words, but I want you to know how much I appreciate all the things you have done for me all my life ... and to tell you how much I love you. Your loving sister. Jean" Sadie also changed her name at an early age to Sonya. She was married and worked for I. Magnin in Los Angeles for many years. She had no children. Throughout her life, Jean was always very attentive to Sonya until she herself died. Then Josef began visiting her regularly at the retirement home where she lived because, as Josef's wife Muriel related, Josef said: "We can't leave her alone." Muriel explains, if anyone close to Josef is in need of anything in any way, physically or emotionally, he always makes a point of attending to them. Rose, Josef's youngest sister, and her husband were killed in airplane accident when they were riding in a new airplane that was being demonstrated to them by the owner of the plane. Their mother was still living at that time, and since she was bedridden, Jean moved from Seattle to Issaquah where Ruby lived so she could visit her every day. Jean wrote letters to Ruby as though they were from Rose and read them to her so she would not have the trauma of hearing that Rose had died. No one ever told Ruby that Rose had died. Commenting on this, Josef said: "I don't believe in telling lies, but in this case, this was a good lie." Josef recalls that his father had brought his sisters Dwasha and Lifsha and their husbands to America from Russia, as well as his brother Izzy Diamond. He also brought one of Josef's mother's cousins and her husband, Jennie and Harry Aronson, and Josef remembers that his mother always complained to his father that he brought all of his relatives over here but only one of hers. Recalling an interesting story about his uncle Izzy Diamond, Josef says that, when World War I broke out, Izzy had been very opposed to war and, not wanting to be drafted, he left Seattle and no one saw or heard from him until the war was over. But when the war was over, to everyone's surprise, Izzy returned to Seattle as a Captain in the US Army. He also came back with a wife whom he had met and married in Russia. It seems that when Izzy disappeared, he had gone to Siberia, and since he could speak Russian, he got involved with the American Red Cross and received a commission as a Captain in the U.S. Army in connection with his duties. Izzy had one son, Edward who became a veterinarian and served on the Everett City Council for several years. Younger brother Leon acquired four gas stations in Seattle by the close of World War II. When Josef returned home after the War, he and Leon formed a partnership merging Leon's service stations with Diamond Parking and Leon managed the day-to-day operations of Diamond Parking during the years that followed. Tragically, Leon and his wife Yetta and their only daughter Gay all died within a short time of each other. Gay had become a legal secretary and eventually a lawyer and worked for Josef for a while. Later, she had her own law practice, but died while her father was still living. Shortly after Leon retired and moved to La Jolla, California, not far from Louis, Yetta died, and Leon lived only a few years longer. Leon once wrote this delightful note about Josef: "One of the funniest sights I have ever seen happened years ago at Josef's house on Lake Washington when he was trying to water ski. He was in the water on two skis with a big cigar in his mouth and was all set to take off. But then, as the boat started to pull away, Joe began to sink deeper and deeper in the water until all you could see was his head sticking up with the cigar still in his mouth. I get a good laugh every time I think about that. And I sincerely thank him for the loans he is always offering me." Josef's son Joel was born September 27, 1937. He went to Lakeside High School, attended the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington, and married Julie Arugeti on February 10, 1963. After having begun working for his father in the family business while still in high school, Joel eventually became president of the company in 1986. Joel's respect, appreciation, and love for his father is expressed in this note which he wrote about Josef in the Book of Memories: "The 'One and Only' Joe Diamond is my father and he is very special to me and my family. Not only because he built an empire that will continue to provide for us all for many years to come, but because he is a very warm and loving person. "He has been a role model for me and for just about every other person that he has come in contact with. "I have learned a great deal from my father throughout my life and I continue to learn from him each and every day. His wisdom, intelligence, love, and kindness are his most outstanding attributes. His dogged determination to get a problem resolved is unceasing. He sees all projects through to the finish no matter how many obstacles are in his way. "I love my father very much and I am proud to be his son." In response, Josef says, "Joel is a good son and a very capable manager." Josef's daughter Diane was born March 30, 1939, attended Helen Bush School, then attended Mills College for two years, and later transfered to the University of Washington from which she graduated. She married Richard Foreman on June 11, 1961 and Diane and Richard have given Josef two fine grandchildren, Michelle was born January 15, 1964 and Steven was born July 1, 1966. Josef says Diane is a very beautiful girl, like her mother, and was a very loving child. After finishing college, she worked for Rainier Properties as a property manager and was very competent and capable. Although Josef's first wife Violett was not Jewish (and with no prodding from Josef, but entirely on her own initiative), she always insisted that their children go to the temple, and both of them completed their temple education and graduated. Eventually, Diane also taught at the temple. Son-in-law Richard Foreman graduated from the University of Washington Law School and went to work in the prosecuting attorney's office. Later, he joined Josef's law firm, became the managing partner for the firm, was elected to the Bellevue City Council, and became Mayor of Bellevue. But Richard recalls that Josef was a typically protective father of the bride-to-be who seemed to be not very enthusiastic about Richard's courtship of his daughter. When he first started dating Diane in 1959, he remembers: "Josef was always working long hours, including evenings and weekends, in his den near the entrance of his home. This strategic location made it impossible to meet Diane without passing by him. It seemed that he was not encouraging our relationship. The evening Diane and I met Joe and Vi to announce that we were getting engaged was indeed memorable. After a long silence, Vi finally said that she understood we were getting engaged. After some conversation, Joe finally turned to me and asked how old I was. I said, 27. He said, 'Well, you're old enough to get married'." Josef recalls the day of the big wedding ceremony at Temple de Hirsch. As he was driving Diane to the ceremony, and there were just the two of them alone in the car, Diane became very upset and had Josef stop the car. Diane said, "I don't know how I feel ..." Josef said, "Do you want me to take you home." Diane said, "No, no, ..." She was just very apprehensive, but Josef is quick to add: "But they have a good marriage." Granddaughter Michelle, who goes by Shelley, attended the University of Nevada majoring in hotel management and has become the marketing manager for group of hotels headquartered in the Seattle area. Grandson Steve attended the University of Pennsylvania where he was on the rowing crew for 4-years. When he graduated, he returned to Seattle and was accepted into the University of Washington Law School, but decided to pursue a Master's degree in business and engineering, instead. He was recruited by a computer corporation called Solectron and has an outstanding position which involves travel all over the country and around the world. Joel and Julie also gave Josef two grandchildren: Jonathon and Cynthia. Grandson Jonathon was born in November 7, 1963, graduated from University of Washington, and then went to Duke University where he got a Master's degree in Business ... as well as a bride. Jonathon married Pam on March 31, 1990, and is now President of Diamond Parking. Jon and Pam have given Josef three great-grandchildren: A girl named Ashley, born in 1992; a boy named Michael after Josef's father, born in 1994; and a girl named Megan, born in 1997. Granddaughter Cynthia was born March 2, 1966, graduated from the University of Washington and married Mark Scott November 21, 1992. Cindy and Mark have given Josef two great-grandchildren: a girl named Samantha Ruby, born in 1995, whose middle name is in honor of Josef's mother; and a girl named MacKenzie, born in 1996. Jonathon and Cindy also wrote this memorable tribute about their grandfather: "Growing up, we remember best our Sunday visits to "Gumpa" and swimming in the pool with our cousins Michelle and Steven. Among our fondest memories were the holidays such as Christmas when the home was rearranged so the grandchildren got the full run of the downstairs. These are just a few of the special moments we remember and hold very dear to our hearts. Our grandfather has always been an extraordinary part of our lives and has always been there for us in every possible way, supporting us in all our decisions, even though we did not fulfill his dream that we go to law school."
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