Soon the neon 'Lady' will dive again

Mike Sakal

Mike Sakal’s column runs on Fridays. Contact him at (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com, or write to Mike Sakal, East Valley Tribune, 1620 W. Fountainhead Pkwy., Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282

Mike Sakal, Tribune

Diving Lady

Larry Graham, owner of Graham’s Neon Sign Specialists in Mesa, looks over a recently restored portion of the iconic Diving Lady sign that is on track to be rededicated in front of the Starlite Motel in east Mesa after it was heavily damaged after a fall during a thunderstorm in October.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady sign

FILE PHOTO - Part of the Starlite Motel's Diving Lady sign was on display at Mesa's Fiesta Mall.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Brian Barela, left, and Levi and Larry Graham of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa pose with a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Brian Barela, left, and Todd Glass of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa load up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

The Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, will be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Brian Barela of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa loads up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Brian Barela of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa loads up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Todd Glass, left, and Brian Barela of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa load up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Todd Glass and Brian Barrela of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa load up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving lady

Todd Glass, left, and Brian Barela of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa load up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

The Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, will be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal

Diving Lady

Brian Barela, left, and Todd Glass of Graham's Neon and Electric Sign Specialists in Mesa load up a portion of the Starlite Motel's "Diving Lady" sign on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, to be taken to Fiesta Mall where it will be on display for the next several months in hopes of eliciting donations for its restoration.

Mike Sakal, Tribune

Diving Lady sign

Scott Houston works on repairing the 'Diving Lady' sign at Graham's Neon in Mesa.

Darryl Webb/TRIBUNE FILE

Diving lady

East Mesa's neon-sign decorated corridor harkens back to a bygone era that no longer sees the number of tourists flocking to places such as Starlite Motel along Main Street. Feb. 20, 2009

Tim Hacker/Tribune

Diving lady

Since the 1960 the neon sign outside the Starlite Motel in Mesa has been a sight to view while traveling along Main Street, which was damaged during last weeks high winds, shown, Monday, October 11, 2010.

Tim Hacker/Tribune

Diving lady

Since 1960 the neon sign outside the Starlite Motel in Mesa has been a sight to view while traveling along Main Street, which was damaged by high winds. The sign is shown Monday, October 11, 2010.

Tim Hacker/Tribune

Diving lady

Since 1960 the neon sign outside the Starlite Motel in Mesa has been a sight to view while traveling along Main Street, which was damaged during high winds, shown Monday, October 11, 2010.

Darryl Webb/TRIBUNE FILE

Diving lady

East Mesa's neon-sign decorated corridor harkens back to a bygone era that no longer sees the number of tourists flocking to places such as Starlite Motel along Main Street. Feb. 20, 2009

Tim Hacker/Tribune

Diving lady

Since 1960 the neon sign outside the Starlite Motel in Mesa has been a sight to view while traveling along Main Street, which was damaged during high winds, shown Monday, October 11, 2010.