HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Members of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition are remembering the life of founder Dianne Bady.
Bady, who founded the environmental and social justice organization in 1987, died from a year-long battle of cancer Monday.
She was surrounded by her family and other OVEC staff members during the time of her death at Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington. Bady was 67.
Bady spent most of her life educating the public about pollution and public health problems in an effort to create a healthier planet.
Janet Keating, former executive director of OVEC, called Bady her “soulmate.” The two met 30 years ago at the West Virginia Environmental Council meeting.
“Sometimes when people meet, it’s pretty magical and that’s the way it was for us. We became friends right away,” Keating told MetroNews.
My best friend @DianneBady RIP @OVEC_WV will carry on your legacy. A gift to me & countless others. Embodiment of compassion & caring. https://t.co/loDS3AODMc
— Janet Keating (@janetovec) October 24, 2017
At the time, Keating was serving as the president of the Huntington Tri-State Audubon Society. She teamed up with Bady, along with a few others, to oppose a toxic waste issue in a low-income community near Huntington. Their efforts launched OVEC.
Keating said Bady was passionate about becoming a voice for people in communities, particularly affected by mountaintop removal mining.
“She was deeply spiritual. She had such deep ties to nature and it’s what sustained her. She hurt for the planet. She hurt for what she was seeing happening here,” Keating said.
Bady stood up for what she believed in, but also listened to what others had to say, Keating said.
“Dianne would always look for the best in everybody. She never judged people. She would sometimes not like their actions, but she would look for the best in people and I think I’ll certainly always remember that,” she said.
Keating said Bady was one of the few people who challenged polluting industries in the lower Ohio River Valley. Because of Bady’s work, Keating said the environment is in better place.
“The air is cleaner here. We used to get daily phone calls about the air pollution in the tri-state. I think some of the biggest changes are people are now more willing to stand up and speak out,” she said.
Bady’s strong leadership and love for flowers is what Keating said she’ll remember most.
“Every time I look at a lily or a hosta, I will think of Dianne,” she said. “She was just a remarkable woman and an incredible friend.”
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Bady is survived by her 92 year old mother Josephine McFarland, her husband Rick, son Aaron and seven siblings, Jerry, Elizabeth, Linda, Hannah, Monica, Daniel and Laura.