Diane Walsh
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
The family of Diane Marie Walsh is heartbroken to announce her passing on March 18 after a two-decade struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. She was 75.
Born in Brooklyn on Jan. 30, 1948 to Agnes (Kadavy) and Louis Otto, she spent most of her childhood years growing up in Garden City South on Long Island. She proudly attended The Mary Louis Academy (Class of ’66) and then attained her B.S. (Biology) and M.S. (Ed.) degrees from St. John’s University in Queens. In September of 1972, she joined the faculty of Regis High School in Manhattan—an institution she cherished and at which she continued working until declining health prompted her retirement in June, 2009.
During her 37-year tenure at Regis, she taught Biology, Advanced Biology, Chemistry, and Health Science, was a prominent figure in the implementation of the school’s Science Research Program, and acted as Science Department Chair for 15 years. Her primary extracurricular occupation came with the Regis Dramatics Society, within which she served as Costume Director for roughly three decades, and for which she directed and co-directed a handful of productions. At various points in her career, she also moderated a variety of clubs and publications, organized special events, and helped to guide the efforts of the Bookstore & Textbook Staff.
Her students consistently described her as clear and demanding in her expectations, but fair and kindly in her response to their good faith efforts. Her colleagues appreciated her gentility on the one hand, but her straightforwardness on the other. She carried herself with an equanimity the likes of which is most rare even among other consummate professionals.
Within her immediate family, she was openly acknowledged as the most graciously unassuming and selfless spouse imaginable and the kindest, best older sister a sibling could ever have.
Predeceased by her parents and her beloved sister, Mary, she is survived by Frank, her husband of 45 years; brothers, Richard and John; sisters, Eileen, Susanne, and Carolyn; and nine nieces and nephews.
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