Ronald N. Diamond DDS

1940 - 2018

Ronald N. Diamond, DDS

Phoenix - Ronald N. Diamond, DDS, passed away February 2, just two weeks before his 78th birthday. Ron was a Phoenix native, born the middle child February 19, 1940 to Jewish Phoenix pioneers Harold and Helen Diamond (nee Garfinkle). He was the grandson of Nathan Diamond, Phoenix pioneer merchant. Ron went to Kenilworth Elementary School and West High School, then attended University of California Berkeley where he majored in zoology in preparation for his next career step, dentistry. While at Cal, Ron joined the Alpha Epsilon Pi Jewish Leadership fraternity, and fell for Delta Phi Epsilon sorority sister Kathryne Suson of Denver. The sweethearts married during the middle of Ron's second year of dental school at University of California San Francisco. Ron was a master craftsman in dental prosthetics, for which he received an award of merit upon his graduation. Ron passed these skills on to other dental students when he taught dental prosthetics at UC San Francisco following his graduation.

Ron and Kathy returned to Phoenix to raise a family, where Ron practiced dentistry for the next 23 years. Ron enjoyed the dental arts practice, where he cared for many old time Phoenicians throughout his career until carpel tunnel syndrome forced his early retirement. Following retirement, Ron started a second career at Thunderbird Samaritan Hospital working in the biomedical engineering department.

Ron was a rabid Arizona State University football fan, and used his season tickets nearly every game until it was too difficult for him to attend. In his younger years, he enjoyed golf, fishing, sailing, and woodworking. He loved vacationing with family in San Diego, and cherished a 50-year ongoing kitchen-table monthly poker game with his high school buddies. He was a proud and sentimental collector of family history and genealogy.

Ron is survived by his wife Kathy, daughters Amanda (Douglas Bashaw) and Halise (Andrew Simon), and two granddaughters, Lindie and Kylie. Also surviving are his brother Kenneth Diamond (Lynda) and sister Rochelle Diamond (Barbara Belmont), and nephew Eldon Diamond (Kathy Wutkowski) and niece Tamara Diamond. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved Aunt Rose Diamond (Bertrand), and his double cousin Robert Diamond (Susan). Ron loved and was loved by his family and friends, showering all with his generosity and kindness. He loved life and was brave throughout his twelve-year battle with cancer. The family would like to thank Ron's caregiver, Robert Delpozo, for his kindness and dedication to Ron's quality of life, and Hospice of the Valley caregivers, and credit Dr. Jeffrey Isaacs and Dr. Roscoe Nelson for his rare long post-diagnosis survival.

A memorial service was held on February 5, 2018 at Beth Israel Cemetery. If you wish to remember Ron, you can donate in his memory to: The Louis A. Garfinkle Memorial Laboratory Fund, care of Rochelle Diamond, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena CA, 91125; or to Hospice of the Valley (hov.org)