Diane Christine Coluzzi-Caswell

Diane Caswell Coluzzi Age 52, a resident of Irvine, died March 28, 2011 after a fierce eight year struggle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by loving family and friends. She is survived by her sons, Nicholas and Alexander Coluzzi of Irvine, parents Mary Ellen and Billy Caswell of La Jolla, sisters Darice Rouatt of Fairfield, CT, Sharon Kunz of Redmond, WA, long-time adoring friend Ken Kees, and several nieces and nephews. She was known and loved for being a redhead with a delightful sense of humor and for an intelligence that crackled. If you needed something done and done exceedingly well, you gave it to her and watched as she made dust out of boulders. She held a Bachelor's of Science from U.S.C. and Masters of Public Administration and Hospital Administration. The funeral service will be held Thursday, March 31st at 2:30 p.m. at Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3500 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar.

To make a contribution in Diane's name, please send check or money order in the name of Diane Caswell Coluzzi to:

GRCGLA Rescue

P.O. box 491209

LA, CA 90049

818-700-5200

www.grclarescue.org

or

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)

60 East 56th Street, 8th floor New York, NY 10022

Toll free: 1-866-FIND-A-CURE (346-3228)

Fax: 646-497-0890

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bcrfcure.org

Donations may be made by phone, mail (check or U.S. money order), or online.

You can specify if you would like the donation to be made either in honor of or in memory of a specific person.

The online link is: https://support.bcrfcure.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=41

Full eulogy below.

M’ Lady Diane

Your Life of Selfless Giving and Dedication to Love

Thoughts from Kent H. Badger

Corona Del Mar, California

31 Mars 2011

Diane was and still is more than a person, now more than a memory, more than a mere passing impression – Diane is an experience -- an amazing experience, a one of a kind, never to be repeated, never to be forgotten experience.

All of us have known Diane in our own special way, but regardless of how you have known her, or for how long, each of us has had experiences with Diane that are marked by a certain thread of common characteristics that distinguish this remarkable woman. These are a few that I have observed; see if you agree:

• Her penchant for selfless giving and sacrifice (“Is there anything I can do to help you?”) This was never a gratuitous offer; it was always a genuine gesture, and all you had to do was to say, “yes.”

Then she would do something else that I’m sure all of us have seen -- if she couldn’t help you personally:

• She always knew someone, or knew someone who knew someone, to assist you in some way with what you needed. She had so many amazing networks in so many different professional areas; In short, she was a facilitator for us all.

• She continually put the needs of others (sometimes needs we didn’t even know we had until she reminded us) ahead of her own. She would self-sacrifice often without ever even recognizing she was depriving herself of something for the benefit of someone else.

How many times can you think of when you have had to say to Diane, “But Diane, what do you want” or “Diane, what do you need?”

Speaking of giving:

• Diane had acute observational skills, always remembering what we specifically wanted or needed, and then often when least expected, she would give it to us almost as an after- thought.

“Oh, Kent, here’s an article I thought you might enjoy about the effect of

Zionist political influence on Israeli archeology from a postmodern perspective.”

• Diane was a historical archive of your personal history — some things you kind of wish she would forget! (“Remember the time you…” she would begin with this sardonic laugh)

I’m going to miss that … her personal reminders of who I was, who each of us was. When she left, those reminders of me left with her, without my ever knowing. Those things are now more a part of her than of me.

• Diane was forgiving (sometimes to a fault)

She would take on her own shoulders the burden of responsibility for any misunderstanding she had with you or someone else, or would ask: “What did I do to cause this misunderstanding?” She would never blame anyone, even if they were clearly at fault.

• She was continually self reflective … not so much self critical (for the most part, Diane really liked herself) it was more of a, “how can I be even better here” sort of focus on self-improvement

• Diane had an abiding loyalty to her family, friends, and causes in which she believed.

There isn’t one of us who can’t remember when Diane didn’t protect our back (at times from ourselves). She sought to help everyone succeed and she shared in the joy that success brought.

• Diane had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and an inspiring curiosity

She continually fed her “knowledge bank” on information relating to current events, science, history, philosophy, religion. One or many of these subjects was always laced through our conversations every time we met or spoke over the phone.

Her curiosity inspired curiosity in others. When Diane learned something new, many people around her also learned something new.

She was also very tactful in pursuing a subject with which she didn’t necessarily agree with you about. Instead of a direct, “You are completely wrong about this,” she would tactfully say: “Question” or “May I ask a dumb question?” (She would even raise her hand!!) She was a closet Socratic!

(Speaking of gestures: Diane never quite got away from her “Disneyland training days” when giving directions to people. She would always point, using both hands, first two fingers extended in the direction in question)

• Diane had a boundless (often contagious) sense of wonder she would find in the world around her. She was never afraid of deepening or seeking out new experiences and found meaning in nearly every experience she had.

One time, when I was taking her to UCLA for some diagnostic workup, she looked to the still darkened early morning sky and said, “Look” pointing to both the east and western horizons. There low on both skylines was the rising sun and setting moon. Then she said, “ It’s almost as if they were there to greet one another” then she added, “and us.” “They’re saying good night and good day at the same time!!” (… then she gave that innocent yet mischievous little girl laugh of hers with which she would always punctuate what she thought was one of her cleaver observations).

• Diane always made a lasting impression on everyone she met, even if she had only met them once. Her engaging attitude of genuine care and loving light-heartedness was a hallmark of her personal contacts with friends and strangers alike.

She worked on several consulting engagements with me over the past few years, and every time I return to see the people we worked with in those organizations, one of the first things I am always asked is, “How is Diane.”

• Diane continually sought a clearer understanding of her own spiritual nature while she lived her life following the basic Christian agapic principle of doing what was most loving, just, and caring in every situation in her life. She sought the spiritual essence in the numerous religions she was excited by and drew comfort from each of them. When people ask me, “will what religion was she closest to?” I would have to say, I guess I’d label her as a Neo-paganistic, Christian Sophian Gnostic with Kabalistic and Sufian leanings tempered by the Tao.

She was magnificently eclectic and amazingly non judgmental, forever seeking answers to those unanswerable questions. And she loved the journey… the quest. She was truly a pilgrim with an open inquiring mind, an absolutely loving heart, and a sweet and pure spirit that has now joined with itself in the light of the hereafter. That light will forever shine on us (did you see how red the moon was the night she left us? -- actually a more russet color like Diane’s hair ). She will always be there for us to help light the way. And there will be those special nights when we will look to the sky and say, “Oh look, it’s a Diane moon tonight!”

So now, what could we say is Diane’s legacy? I believe this is what she has left for us (each of us will remember and speak more of this as the months and years pass) – and so the legend of “Saint Diane” will grow:

But specifically, I think Diane has left us:

1. Two wonderful sons who carry the joyful, caring, critical thinking, and artistic characteristics (each in their own way) of their mother.

2. A legacy of healthier communities because of the contributions she made to health service related organizations

3. Diane’s life itself is a visible reminder for us to be more introspective and continually ask ourselves:

• Is there anything more I can do to help?

• How can I better bring people together

• Is what I am doing for myself really as important as what I could be doing for someone else at this time?

• Am I paying close attention to and remembering what really matters

• Am I honestly forgiving others and releasing my personal burdens of resentment

• Am I always seeking to learn and understand more

• Am I continually trying something new, or doing something differently

• Am I having fun in what I do

• Do I find wonder in everything I do, everything I see

• Do I try to leave everything a little better than I found it,

• Is everyone a little wiser or at least a little more joyful because of knowing me

• Do I look for the sacred in everything, and remember that everything, regardless of how small, is important

• Do I make decisions based upon what is the most loving, caring, and just thing to do in those circumstances

• Am I excited by just being alive

Thank you Diane for helping to show us the way.

I would like to share with you with a piece of music Diane and I, and several other people here today, saw performed last year here in Los Angeles by Leonard Cohen. It affected Diane quite profoundly. I hope you find it of similar value. It is called, If it be Your Will.

If It Be Your Will

If it be your will, that I speak no more

And my voice be still, as it was before

I will speak no more, I shall abide until

I am spoken for, if it be your will

If it be your will, that a voice be true

From this broken hill, I will sing to you

From this broken hill

All your praises they shall ring

If it be your will, to let me sing

From this broken hill

All your praises they shall ring

If it be your will, to let me sing

If it be your will, if there is a choice

Let the rivers fill, let the hills rejoice

Let your mercy spill

On all these burning hearts in Hell

If it be your will, to make us well

And draw us near and bind us tight

All your children here, in their rags of light

In our rags of light, all dressed to kill

And end this night, if it be your will

If it be your will

-L. Cohen-

The last thing I would like to share with you is a poem Diane wrote in tribute to a very dear friend of mine who died almost 15 years ago. I had shared so many stories about my friend Jane (another wild redhead) that when she died, Diane felt much of my personal loss as her own. In response, she wrote the following poem memorializing Jane and gave it to me with deepest condolences those many years ago. As I read these words now, they wring every bit, if not more true for Diane herself.

This is what she wrote:

I’ve Made a Difference

As if collected by bees

little parts of me

enjoy destinations

I will never see

never experience

my fragrance – lush, soft,

innocent, compelling

my blush full lips,

parting and inviting

will soon be long forgotten

but my essence will

live on in

a thousand flowers

touching a thousand lives

Diane, I leave you these final thoughts speaking as one of those lives you have profoundly touched: your essence will live on forever in my mind, my heart, and my soul. And I am more, so much more for having known my sweet Lady D, my “Saint Diane.”

Kent