DIANE D. WAYMAN

DIANE D. WAYMAN - BERLIN, Md. - Diane D. Wayman, 69, of Berlin, Md., died Nov. 27, 2013, in the Vermont Respite House with her partner and daughter by her side, five weeks after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Diane was born in Reno, Nev., to a pioneering family of journalists and public servants. Her grandfather, Denver S. Dickerson, was Governor of Nevada. Her father, Denver Dickerson, was the youngest Speaker of the Nevada Assembly, and was appointed Superintendent of Guam by President Kennedy. As the daughter of foreign service officers, Diane spent her childhood in Burma and Hong Kong where she learned to play golf, which would become a lifelong avocation. She received a BS in Chemistry from Roanoke College in 1966. After brief employment at the NIH, Diane began her career as a professional photographer, spanning more than 30 years photographing children, families, weddings, and cultural and political events in Washington, DC. In 1970, she married Stanley E. Wayman, a prominent LIFE magazine photojournalist, and became mother to his two children before giving birth to their daughter. Stan Wayman died in 1973. Continuing her progressive family's legacy, she was active in Democratic Party politics in Washington, DC, and was elected an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and was appointed a DC Commissioner on Aging by the mayor. She was also active in feminist, civil rights, and peace organizations, taking her young daughter to protests from an early age and instilling in her children the importance of social justice. Diane's passion for golf remained with her from her early days in Burma and Hong Kong, and she became a mentor and informal coach to many less skilled and inexperienced golfers. She won numerous tournaments and club championships, the last one only six weeks before being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Diane was known for her sense of humor, her pithy writing resulting in multiple letters-to-the-editor being published, her immense generosity, and her love of family. She was a vibrant presence in so many different communities and she was always the life of the party. She will be profoundly missed by those who knew her. She is survived by her partner of 21 years and spouse of three weeks, Kate McQueen of Maryland; son, Seth A. Wayman of Pittsburgh, Pa.; daughters, Sarah Johnson of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Katherine A. Wayman of Williston, Vt.; son-inlaw, whom she called her "touchstone," Michael Boccanfuso Wayman; granddaughter, Taylor A. Johnson of Ft. Myers, Fla.; grandsons, Jonah Michael Wayman and Sebastian Stanley Wayman of Williston, Vt.; a half brother, several cousins, and numerous friends. The family wishes to thank all the caregivers at the Respite House and Dr. Jaina Clough for honoring Diane with exquisite compassion at the end of her life. There will be a memorial service in Maryland in the spring. Donations in Diane's memory may be made to Vermont Respite House, 99 Allen Brook Lane, Williston, VT 05495.