Here’s a really good animated photo of the Starlite Motel Diving Lady. Be sure to hit the “animate” button.
Part of the diving lady sign survives and is now mounted in the local mall to help raise money to renovate the historic sign. Several businesses have gotten together to help supply the labor necessary to do the restoration, and the Mesa Preservation Foundation has raised almost enough money to get it done. It warms the cockles to know that this city still embraces and cares about its kitchy mid-century Main Street neon signage legacy. (:
I always loved sitting rear-facing in the back our our station wagon. And sliding side-to-side on turns!