We still find it hard to believe that Diane is no longer with us. We visited her at Riverview Medical Center on Sunday, just four days before her passing, where she was recovering from surgery and had moved into rehab. She was alert, cheerful, talkative, and full of life. It is heartbreaking to think that just days later, she is gone. Our careers at Bell Laboratories paralleled each other, and, on a personal level, we raised our kids together. She was equally a role model in her very successful career as well as in her dedication as a mom, and she was a great friend. May her loving and gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Our heartfelt condolences go to Stacy, Aaron, David, and the entire family.

I have so many Diane stories but here’s one I regret not thanking her for more sincerely because even now it stands out as a measure of her devotion as a friend. During the last 9 months of my mother’s life, she was in a long term care facility, too weak to come home. That meant I was visiting or working on organizing her care almost daily. One day Diane and Dee called me up and said, “stay home, do something for yourself, we’re going to visit your mother today”. I had not asked for that nor hinted how stressed I was. But it was the best gift anyone could have given, and no one else ever offered it during that time. No fanfare, no explanation, no mention of it to others. Just being there as a friend. Her friendship was very precious to me.

Diane,

Happy Birthday and congratulations on reaching such a momentous milestone (we should know, since we both reached it before you!!). It’s so great to think that our friendship has stood for almost 43 years (almost half a century!), and we have the opportunity to share this moment with you. 

We hope you are enjoying your new home – we are excited to see it when we visit you in July. Could you ever have believed when you started your career that you would actually be living at Bell Labs (although it may have felt that way when you are putting in those long hours at work!)?

Anyway, we wish you all the best and hope that your birthday is everything that you wish.

Love,

Jackie and Wale

Happy Birthday, Diane!

A lot has happened since those crazy 1970s, and a lot has changed. Some things haven’t changed, though. You’re still the exceedingly smart math nerd I met at Bell Labs in 1976. You still crave adventure and the sporting life. You still possess more strength and integrity than practically anyone I know. And you’re still my friend for life.

I wish you nothing but the joy you so richly deserve on this special occasion. I wish we could be there to celebrate with you, but that will just be an excuse for another dinner (and drinks, and red face) in a few months. I hope you’re enjoying the celebration with our two incredible kids and Corey and Lesley, and with your newest student, the irrepressible Naijah de Dios Tarver.

All the best!

David 

(with Kishna, Nadiyah, and Honey!)

I don’t know what Diane was talking about in 1975 when we were living together in Trailer 24X. She was an ultra-focused grad student and Amy and I were our usual dedicated senior students, especially during spring quarter. 

Always looking out for Di’s best interest, we took on the added responsibility of helping her attain a better Work-Life balance. Amy and I were Psych majors after all, so it was our field of expertise. 

Diane would hit the books all weekend long. Studying 24/7 was a solitary endeavor. Having a few drinks at home on a Saturday night could actually relieve stress and be academically beneficial. But Diane resisted all efforts to alter her strict work regimen. After all interventions were rebuffed, drastic measures were required.  Even without her consent, medication had to be administered. 

Diane was very health-conscious and oranges were her go-to snacks. An orange, injected through the peel with a vodka-filled syringe was deemed to be the perfect cocktail to ease her addictive studying behavior. We were wrong. Even a second consumed ‘screwdriver’ failed to repress her deep-seated impulses to study. 

Our Stanford psychological experiment failed to show that Diane Sheng’s internal drive could be impeded or diminished, even when pharmaceutical stimulants were introduced. The subject‘s will to learn was steadfast and unwavering. Our study did prove, however, that two other main hypotheses were true: Alcohol consumption does cause her face to turn red, and Diane was a very tolerant and forgiving roommate. 

                  🎁 Happy Birthday Diane 🎁
                            ❣️❣️ Tracy❣️❣️

Amy, Diane and Liz 

Trailer 24X

Diane, Tracy, Amy and Mike

Diane and Tracy

Happy Birthday Diane! In honor of your 70th, I hereby unfurl the Cardenal Birthday Calendar I absconded with after we graduated from our freshman zoo and amazingly found a week ago.  This will bring back many fond memories.  The funniest part is the comment someone wrote to heckle Joel that says he’s 28 years old.  Oh to be so young again. Hope you had a wonderful day.

Scotty

How did 70 arrive so fast?  I remember a pleasant January Friday when Diane turned 20.  It had been an action packed week already as we had made a $45 15 minute phone call to some French vagabonds on Wednesday and a Manzanita Park trailer burned down on Thursday.  We weren’t sure how to top that but we did hatch a plan to kidnap Diane @ 10 PM .  Jim, Pretz and I blindfolded her and drove around for a while before leading her through the Quad  where we had a cake waiting for @ Mem Chu.  Since the night was still young, we tried to talk her into some tennis but she had to get back to study. The next day good news arrived when the Draft was abolished and Jim (Lottery #9) was able to remain with us on campus.

So many memories of and with Diane over the last 51+ years.   I learned early on competing against her in the classroom or on the court was a losing proposition.  She even was known metaphorically to throw elbows in Operations Research.  Much love to someone showing her peers how to survive the 60’s twice and we look forward to being supporting cast members with her in the Cardenal 70’s Show.

Happy Birthday Diane!

Mark remembers a very tenacious Diane holding her own with the guys on the noon-time basketball pick-up games in Maples Pavilion.

I remember the story of Diane on the ski trip Freshman year. When she put her long hair in pigtails and put on a W-I-D-E grin, she could pass for young enough to get the youth discount on the ski lifts. If no one from the dorm stood beside her!  And I remember the surprise and delight when Diane turned out to be my roommate Winter Quarter junior year. We had both taken Fall quarter off and it was simply luck we were together! I remember studying and studying….. meanwhile Diane studied, and took breaks shooting baskets. I could see her from our window.  Smart woman!  Of course, she did much better than I!  Before Spring quarter, we tried to get into Synergy together.  She got a higher number on the wait-list and was accepted. And due to a room scheduling snafu, she negotiated switching rooms if I could be her roommate.  Bless you, Diane!!

Happy Birthday, Diane!  Lead the way into the 70s!  (Back to the 70s again??!!??).  

Cheers!

Greta