Jennifer Diskin

Jennifer Diskin, 38, of Scranton, died Sunday morning in the Northeast PA Hospice Unit at Regional Hospital of Scranton after an illness.

Born in Scranton, she was the daughter of Edmund and Anita Diskin, Scranton. A graduate of Bishop Hannan High School, she earned an English degree, cum laude, from Marywood University, and a master of arts in creative writing from Wilkes University as a member of the program's first graduating class. Upon graduation from Marywood, she received the Dr. Philip J. Tama Medal for Excellence in English. She worked as an adjunct English professor at Marywood University, as well as a graduate assistant at Wilkes University. She was also employed for 10 years by Allied Services as a resident assistant and a program specialist.

She had an incomparable gift for writing poetry, and writing poetry was her gift to her own family, and to her larger extended family of poets and writers. At Marywood, she served as the co-editor of Bayleaf, and she has been published in Ripasso and Wicked Alice. In 2008, she published her first chapbook of poetry, Everyday Anemias, followed by her most recent publication, and her second chapbook, Wear White and Grieve, in 2010. She was also a member of the Vintage Theater Creative Writing Group and the Actors' Circle.

Her poetry was refreshingly honest, bold, provocative and brimming with a wisdom far beyond her years, with more than a touch of that old Irish wit. Writing poetry was her essence, and her essence was writing poetry. Her insatiable passion and love for poetry, the written word, music and dancing, foreign films, theater, the arts and nature were only outmatched by her fierce love for and strong devotion to her family and friends, as well as her remarkable strength, determination and bravery throughout her courageous battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She did not allow her illness to define her, and she continually defied her illness, by soaking in all the blessings, joys and happiness throughout her life.

When she shared her inimitable poetry at a reading, she revealed a piece of her soul with her audience, and the world. She was a frequently featured poet at many local poetry readings, namely at Anthology and Mulberry Poets, as well as a reader at the Wilkes University Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series. She was also the hostess for weekly poetry readings at Borders. At any poetry reading, she owned the stage when she read, and her presence on stage was unlike any other, full of a fantastically dramatic flair and a signature creative style all her own. Through her writing, she truly found her inner voice and her role on life's stage, inspiring so many others with her beautifully free, independent, indomitable spirit, which always longed for and loved the ocean, especially the crystal blue waters, the sparkling sands, the warm sunshine and the foamy white waves of Cape Cod and the Nantucket Sound.

Also surviving are two sisters, Tara Fox, Scranton; and Megan Monahan, Pocasset, Mass.; a brother, Brian, Scranton; aunts, uncles and cousins.

The family would like to especially thank Dr. Martin Hyzinski, and his oncological nursing staff, as well as the nurses of Jeannes Hospital in Philadelphia, Dr. Mary Ellen Martin of the Temple University Bone Marrow Unit Program at Jeannes Hospital, and the program's nurses and aides and the following Regional Hospital of Scranton medical staff, including: the eighth-floor oncology nurses, Special Care Unit nurses, ICU staff and the nurses of the Northeast PA Hospice Unit for their exceptional care and kindness during Jennifer's stay.

The funeral will be Wednesday from the Carlucci-Golden-DeSantis Funeral Home Inc., 318 E. Drinker St., Dunmore, with Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in the Marian Chapel at Marywood University, to be celebrated by the Rev. James Paisley.

Friends may call Tuesday, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Marywood University, or the Wilkes University Creative Writing Program. To send the family an online condolence or for more information, visit www.Dunmore FuneralHome.com.