How my journey began
On December 8, 2018, my beloved husband Bob Zappa passed away unexpectedly. When we met in 1986 there was an instant and intense connection, but we weren’t able to be together until 2013. We married in 2015. He was 75 when he passed away, and I was 71 when I became a widow.
Almost immediately after he died I began writing about how our relationship evolved through the 32 years we had known each other. Writing was cathartic, helping me process and cope with this deep loss. My debut memoir, The Married Widow: My Journey with Bob Zappa was published by Bold Story Press in 2021.
A group of widows encouraged me to write more, specifically about what helped me cope with my grief. By that time I had already begun writing letters to my late husband telling him about my life and feelings, and sharing memories of things we did together. Writing to him helped keep him near and keep our love alive. These letters are the heart of Dear Bobby: My Grief Journey.
About Diane
Diane Papalia Zappa earned her PhD in lifespan developmental psychology in 1971. She went on to teach human development courses to thousands of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, attaining the rank of tenured full professor of child and family studies at the age of 30. While in Madison, she and co-author Sally Wendkos Olds wrote A Child’s World (now in its thirteenth edition) and Human Development (in its fifteenth edition). Her memoir, The Married Widow, was published in 2021.
In 1986, while still a professor in Madison, she met Frank Zappa’s younger brother, Bob, who was the marketing manager for one of her books. They married in 2015.
Learn more about Diane in this article from BooksByWomen.org