My most sincere condolences to the family and friends of "Miss Ferguson".  I had the great fortune of meeting her in high school where I sat in her office on many occasions due to a tumultuous youth and very spotty attendance record.  I was headed no where with wild abandon, and she tried many ways to redirect me.  She finally succeeded with a one-liner that I have quoted many times.  Perhaps in some exasperation, she sat me down and said "You have to be more than your sad story".  Which ended up being life changing for me.  I went on to night school to upgrade my marks which led to me eventually completing a Masters Degree and a successful career in the public service.  Including a stint as the Deputy Minister of Education which I am sure she would have found ironically hysterical.  It is said that it only takes one person who believes in you to make positive change.  Miss Ferguson was that person for me and many others. 
Thank -you and rest easy, you made a difference because you were here xo

To Jimmy and the Elliot family,
I was catching up on some of the recent papers from this past week and I was surprised to see and read Dianne's Obituary this morning. I only chatted with her in mid January and fortunately we had a lengthy chat just to catch up.  I was hoping to visit with her on the 23rd of this month and looking forward to it.  I  met her at the Dartmouth Regional Vocational School the first year it opened and have tried to stay in touch since. I shall miss her !
To all Jimmy , Family and her wealth of friends , my most heartfelt condolences to all of you at this time .
Sincerely,
Cliff Williams
in Windsor, NS

In the early 80's I worked for St FXU as a High School Liaison Officer travelling to all high schools throughout eastern Canada. Of all the Guidance Counsellors I dealt with,  Dianne was the best! She knew all about all of the program options available for her students at Prince Andrew High. She was thorough, insightful and very helpful to many. I told her how great she was and I wrote it in my wrap up letter to her as I left that job to return to school.  Dianne made a positive impact on so many people - including me. Rest well. We were fortunate to have you as a part of the fabric of our lives.

My sincere condolences to Jim and family.
Mary MacCara

With sadness I write this. She gave me a push to make sure I completed high school and move on to university. I had many talks over my 3 years  in High school. She gave me confidence that I could be a teacher. She filled out my Dal application. Just finished my 30th year. What more could I say other than Thank You.

I fondly remember her from my days at Prince Andrew High School. She was such an amazing person , always had time for those that needed help, she certainly made in impact in the lives and career paths with many students. Thank you for your dedicated service to the students. Rest easy 🙏  Heaven has gained another Angel

I was fortunate enough to have met and gotten to know Dianne in what I’m sad to say were the last few years of her life. She had, as is echoed by everyone here, the biggest heart. She was kind to everyone, didn’t hold back her opinions, and was always as eager to learn as she was to teach. 

Dianne made people feel important. She was always interested to hear new developments in other’s lives, checking in on close loved ones of mine that she may never have even met. She was the kind of person who would give you the shirt off her back, but god forbid she ask anyone else for help. When she did ask for something, it felt special to be the one she asked.

To know Dianne was to love her, it was impossible not to. I’ll remember her hearty laugh, her candidness, and her kindness most of all. 

Rest easy, kiddo.

I learned of Dianne’s passing today. What a devastating loss.

I had the pleasure of knowing Dianne since 2022 when I started working at the Berkeley. 
No matter where she was, people gravitated toward her—wanted to chat with her, and be in her company.

Over the years, I was lucky enough to share many conversations and sweet moments with Dianne. She was truly a lovely, lovely woman—someone who showed kindness to everyone she encountered. There wasn’t a person she met that she didn’t leave an impact on.

She had a way of remembering the little things—conversations from long ago, small details most would forget. She’d bring them up in passing or ask about them later, and it was always clear how much she truly cared.

Dianne was deeply loved, and she still is, so loved, so cherished, so missed.

My deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

With love, 
Emma. S

Dianne was my guidance counselor in high school and I do remember spending some quality time chatting with her as I tried to determine the next course of my life - music vs science mainly.  Was always great to bump into her through the years and various events/concerts.  Rest well and thank you for everything.

My condolences Mr Ferguson to you and your family family. I have fond memories of Mrs. Ferguson during my time as a student  at Prince Andrew. I know she had a positive influence on many students.

I met Dianne and Jim through St. Matthew's United Church, where we volunteered on a Sunday breakfast team together. Such lovely people and so genuinely fun to be around. I recently met her with her walker, in the company of a mutual friend. She seemed quite tickled to be living with like-minded folks at the Berkeley, where I imagine she was the life of the party. However, it was in reading her obituary that I discovered she was a relative of sorts of my husband, through the Conrod connection. Wouldn''t she have been amused to discover that.

My condolences to Dianne’s family. I attended Acadia University with Dianne. She was indeed a very warm, delightful person. Our lives went separate ways after graduation. Later in early retirement I met her during a visit to the Halifax Art Gallery. Dianne was a volunteer in the Gallery.  We chatted about our activities and careers.  A very pleasant meeting.  Again, I am sad  for your family’s loss. 
      Sincerely ,
              Mary Jean Muir

I fondly remembe Dainne at Acadia, and later at the Art GAlery of NSr, where she and Jim spent many happy hours. |A great person    of good work and deeds.. Loved meeting and talking to her.
Sincere condolences to Jim.
Diane Swanzey  
 Acadia and AGNS.

I first met Dianne in the sixties when I arrived from the UK and started teaching high school French in Dartmouth— where she was a most helpful, always cheerful and witty colleague. We both moved on ‘to greater things’ (as Dianne put it) but met up occasionally at ‘The Symphony’ and, upon ‘retirement’, at related social events, after Jim and I had signed up as Volunteer Docents with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Dianne remained her quick-witted, welcoming self, full of practical advice, delivered with the utmost good humour. It was a privilege to have known her and my deepest sympathy goes to family members, as to you, dear colleague-in-art-appreciation, Jim.

She worked in Dartmouth even thought she was terrified of crossing the bridge.. Jim said she would turn onto North,slow down,light a cigarette.inhale deeply then hit the gas till across. Why? Very simply it was about the people she worked with.It was always about people.She wanted them to do well. Once,students were skipping class. Dianne found out where they were goin. She went to the door and in a loud voice said get back to school. There was a scramble to exit the strip club. I met my wife through Dianne. She made a good choice for me. At times she could get things done with few words. One day Jim went to the pub for some music.Jim forgot how many beers he had. A friend put him in a taxi and called Dianne. Jim comes through the front door and she points to the stairlift. "Sit". She hits the UP button. At the top she says "Jim. To Bed" She loved making connections. The Berkeley was great for that where she could meet new people her age and find something in common..politics .teaching. students. NS Art Gallery.. music... We went to Mineappolis St Paul. She had a complete list of possible places to visit. We saw Amish to Zydeco. Her image was always good but when she put on her funky glasses she was fabulous. For live music she loved Joe Murphy but Bill Stevenson was the greatest. She is special and will be missed by all.

Dear Jim…very sorry to hear of Dianne’s passing. I was so fortunate 
to have met and worked with her for so long. I learned a great deal from her. Anita and I also enjoy visiting you both at your home. Sadly the years have  drifted away.

Jack and Anita Rose

Anne and I were married across the street from Dianne and Jim's house on Oxford Street. I forgot the house number where The Justice of the Peace lived. I went to Dianne's and asked if she knew. She did. After the ceremony, Dianne and Jim were outside with confetti in hand and invited us to their house for a fun filled and musical reception. No one, in either High School, knew we were being married on that day. Their surprise invitation is one that we will never forget. She was a great friend. We will not forget her.

Jim and Anne Farmer (fellow teachers)

Dianne was a grandmother figure to my sister and me. She would place balloons at my doorstep on every birthday, and we would frequently meet up to talk all things local, food, and politics. She was the utmost encourager of my education and career and was always thrilled to hear of my progress. 
I was an ecologist on Sable Island, Nova Scotia in 2023. Year over year, scientists name the new horse foals as part of the island record book – every horse has an official name. I named one ‘Deedee’, - an ode to Dianne and her unwavering love for the East Coast. 

I will miss Dianne greatly. My thoughts are with her family and friends.
-Kate

Dear family members: Diane was one-of-a-kind; ahead of everyone else, she led with humour and confidence, the rest of us following in her wake.  Her emergy and enthusiasm were contagious. I will remember her with fondness, and it was especially pleasant to reconnect during these past years. Dr Karen Diadick Casselman, Wolfville

Jim and the Elliott family,
We are deeply saddened to learn of Dianne’s passing.  She and Jim were truly wonderful neighbours for over 25 years.  We shared many a drink / meal on their deck and delightful goodies annually during the holiday season.  We were thrilled to purchase their house and make it our home in November 2020.  We readily shared our renovation highs and lows as Dianne was eager to hear and offer suggestions.  She regularly asked about our kids and celebrated their milestones.  We always enjoyed our visits - to catch up on the news and banter about politics.  How we so delighted in her quick wit and that most contagious hearty laugh.  She always chuckled when I called her “Lady Di” and I loved when she called me “Kiddo”. 

We have fond memories of her which we will always cherish.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your sorrow.

I work at the Berkeley and enjoyed Diannes company almost nightly.I know you read the obits each day and it makes me so sad to now be reading yours Dianne.Will miss your hearty laugh, until we meet again 
my friend  🧡 H....

I'm so sorry to hear of Dianne's death… She was just such a sweet, intelligent, and friendly woman. I first met her through Jim, who played in our band Samba Nova for decades. I can't think of too many practices or performances that Jim would have missed over the many years we played together, and Dianne was always there to support us and to help. They would haul instruments and people in their van and support us in whatever way they could. I had another connection with Dianne in that my father was the principal at the Halifax Vocational School, so she had connections with him through work. In the later years as Jim started to experience memory issues I would pick him up and drop him off for band practice, and always enjoyed having a little chat with Dianne. I'm glad she had a comfortable living arrangement these last few years. Sincere condolences to all of her loved ones.

I met Dianne at the Berkeley on Pepperell Street about 3 years ago.
I considered  her a friend and a great conversationalist.  She will be
missed.  

My sincere condolences to her family.
Joan G

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Dianne Elizabeth Ferguson

19 février 1941 – 10 mars 2025

Cruikshank’s Halifax Funeral Home

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