Diana Michelle Poeschel

Diana was an intelligent, compassionate, driven and caring person. She spent most of her life caring for others, starting with family members at a young age. She was a source of strength and support for her 4 sisters and her daughter. Diana was a devoted mom and grandma to 4 adult grandchildren and Oma to 7 great grandchildren.

After high school, to assure the wellbeing of her daughter, Anita Marie Ellis, Diana pursued night classes at Fresno City College for admission into the Fresno City College nursing program. Diana knew the importance of qualifying for the nursing program and earned straight A’s while leading a study group that was amazed at Diana’s copious class notes. Diana excelled in the Fresno City College nursing program, becoming a registered nurse in July of 1973.

Her first nursing job was in the emergency room at Valley Medical Center, often working nights and taking calls to earn extra money. For over 20 years, Diana was an operating room nurse at Fresno Community and Sierra Hospital.

At Sierra Hospital, she observed inefficiencies in the charging process for products used by the hospital. She studied the existing deficiencies and proposed a series of changes to the hospital’s procurement methods resulting in substantial savings by implementing Diana’s product billing and ordering protocols.

In 1987, while attending a Sierra Hospital fundraiser, Diana met Dirk Poeschel, a local real estate consultant. The day they met began their love story. Diana and Dirk were accomplished professionals when their relationship began, but what they accomplished together was only possible because of their belief in and encouragement of each other. They were both each another’s biggest cheerleaders. Diana and Dirk married in 1991, beginning a life of special friendship, love and admiration that will never end.

In May of 1988, Diana earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies from the University of San Francisco. She became the head of Materials Management for surgery at Sierra Hospital and part of an implementation team for computer improvements and equipment evaluation at both hospitals.

Diana and her family attended College Church of Christ. She was very active there, earning the love and respect she so freely gave to others. Diana shared her nursing skills by serving as the camp nurse at Sierra Bible Camp and on mission trips to Mexico with the church youth group.

Using the turmoil in the medical industry as an opportunity to learn additional skills, Diana enrolled in the University of California Extension Nurse Practitioner program in 1995 and graduated in 1996. She was precepted as a Nurse Practitioner by Dr. Larry Nix a premier Central Valley Ob-Gyn physician who specialized in the new field of fertility. She also achieved her first assist certificate from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Diana loved working with Dr. Nix who recognized her thoroughness and ability to allow patients to feel comfortable in all circumstances. Upon Dr. Nix’s retirement Diana continued to work as a nurse practitioner for a short time.

After 30 plus years in medicine helping others, Diana retired. Missing Dirk, she then took on special tasks at Dirk’s company. Everything Dirk and Diana accomplished was achieved due to Diana’s enormous contributions.

Diana and Dirk were married for 34 years. She passed just 2 days after their anniversary. Throughout their 37 years together, they were blessed with the opportunity to travel.

They enjoyed art, architecture and food creating their own tours preferring to be with each other than groups. They visited Dirk’s family in Germany so many times they were often told they had seen more of Germany than most Germans. Travels to much of Europe were all adventures that touched their hearts. Whether rowing a boat on Lake Louise, being awestruck at the Prado in Spain or walking the Philosophers Trail during cherry blossom season in Kyoto, they loved to travel. Diana and Dirk loved being together.

Among many loving nicknames Dirk would refer to Diana as the one in a million girl. Diana was boarded out soon after birth living in foster homes until she and her sisters were adopted by Bill Campbell who unconditionally loved Diana and her sisters. When most people would become bitter and destroy their lives, Diana sought optimism and the love of God. She was a glow plug of grace, love, kindness and generosity; truly a one in a million girl.

She was always direct and with good reason. She thought of every detail in everything she did because she wanted to do it right. As there was only one way in Diana’s world and that was to do it right.

Dirk and Diana were like kids in love, always holding hands going through life together, bonded, in sickness and in health. When asked her age, Diana would often reply with the number of years she had been with Dirk because she said her life began then.

Special thanks to Dr.’s Jas Basraon, Kuldeep Gill, Lovrudo Pyreddy, Vijai Daniels and Harjagjit Mann who did their best to make her well. Her body died on April 22nd but her spirit of love, kindness, generosity and elegance lives on.

Diana is survived by her husband Dirk Poeschel, her daughter, Anita and her husband Scott Ellis Jr. She had 4 grandchildren, Sandra and her husband Ryan Bargas, Scott Ellis III and his wife Nicole, Sheryl and her husband Matt Creer and Garrison Ellis and his wife Kayli. Diana had 7 great grandchildren, Jackson Bargas, Isabella Bargas, Charlotte Ellis, Scott Ellis IV, Magnolia Ellis, Jonah Ellis and Denver Ellis. She is also survived by 3 sisters, Caroline Trevier, Alice Lyke and Priscilla Campbell.

Diana was surrounded by her family as she passed. She left this world in peace and looked forward to being with family and friends who passed on before her.

A celebration of her life will be held at Copper River Country Club, 2140 E Clubhouse Drive, Fresno, CA 93730 on May 9th at 11:00 am. Please join her family in celebrating her life well lived!

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Community Food Bank at https://ccfoodbank.org/.