Diana Susan Greene

Diana was born in Brooklyn, NY, November 21, 1947, to Morton and Phyllis Greene, who were first generation descendants of Jewish immigrants. Diana attended public school in Brooklyn before her family moved to Great Neck, NY. There she attended Great Neck High School.

She went on to earn an A.B. cum laude in English and Russian at Vassar College, and a PhD. from Columbia University's Department of Slavic Languages and Literature.

During her career she lived in the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation doing archival research in St. Petersburg and Moscow. She taught Russian literatures and language, along with Women's Studies, at the University of Virginia, SUNY-Plattsburg, Manhattan College, The School of Visual Arts, and The New School of Social Research. Her teaching complemented a stellar output of three scholarly books and many essays.

Beginning in 1995, Diana became the Slavic Subject Specialist at the New York University Library, where her excellent collection was valued highly. Yet one of her favorite activities was helping students one-on-one find materials for their course projects. Diana's work was revered; she was loved. She had a knack for making family, friends, students and colleagues feel special.

Outside of work, Diana was a skilled and prolific potter, gifting friends and relatives with her many beautiful creations. Diana's other hobbies included travel, immersing herself in nature with gentle-to-rugged hiking, or simply soaking up the vibes of a beautiful park or garden. In spring she loved basking in the aura of flowering trees, often petting the cherry blossoms and telling them, "You're doing a good job."

Diana is survived by her spouse Randall Spinks; her sisters Nancy Burstein and Natalie Greene; her niece Rebecca Burstein; and her nephew Richard Burstein.

Diana was buried at the Monadnock View Cemetery, Keene, surrounded by family and local friends on August 22, 2025.

A celebration of Diana's life will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at New York University, 19 University Place, New York, NY.

Donations in her name may be made to Planned Parenthood, 8 Middle Street, Keene, NH 03431; or to Monadnock Family Services, 40 Avon Street, Keene, NH 03431; or to the Keene Public Library, 60 Winter Street, Keene, NH 03431.