CAVALLO
DIANA
[]
1931-2017, novelist, teacher, playwright, monologue writer and performer, passed away on June 17, 2017 in Springfield. She taught Fiction Writing in the Creative Writing Program of the English Department at The University of Pennsylvania, from where she graduated after being awarded a scholarship from Upper Darby High School. At the University's public events, she was often invited to introduce her former students that had become popular novelists. Her play, "Two Sisters", won first prize in a contest sponsored by the Ethical Society of Philadelphia and was performed there to a large and appreciative audience. Her first book, "A Bridge of Leaves", published by Athenaeum Press, was written during her tenure as a Fulbright Scholar in Florence, Italy. While living in New York for more than a decade, she taught English at The Italian School, a venue for the children of Italian diplomats. Ms. Cavallo wrote many fictionalized essays about her Italian neighborhood in South Philadelphia, where she grew up until her family moved to Upper Darby when she was a teenager. She performed these as monologues on many stages in the city, particularly at The Italian Society in South Philadelphia. She was pre-deceased by her husband, the artist, Karl Hagedorn, and two sisters, Teresa Guinan and Angie Greger. Diana will be sadly missed by her devoted nieces, Linda Smythe and Andrea Greger, and many friends and colleagues. She befriended and respected all who had dealings with her. She will be remembered as a good listener and compassionate friend who was always there for others. At Diana's request, Funeral and Service will be private.
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Published by Philadelphia Inquirer/Philadelphia Daily News on Jul. 10, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for DIANA CAVALLO

Sponsored by Williams Lombardo Funeral Home.

5 Entries

Lois Padawer

October 17, 2023

Diana Cavallo was my fifth grade teacher at a Jewish school in Brooklyn in the school year 1959-1960. She was the greatest teacher I had in my life, and I've had a few excellent ones. Her lectures on diagramming sentences were inspiring. (I later had a career as chief of English proofreaders at the UN.) She taught with a full range of fun and variety, including skits in which we had to play different animals. She was outgoing and friendly, and I remember her strolling with my mother and me on the local main street and talking about first and last names and how they balanced. After the introduction of easy use of computers, I fantasized for years about contacting her and thanking her, but did not do it, to my regret. I hope her nieces see all the nice memories here about what a wonderful person she was.

Robert Amsel

June 14, 2022

I was a student of Diana's in New York, where I became friends with her for many years and then later with Karl too, through their courtship and beautiful marriage. Diana was one of the most loving and caring teachers I ever had and anyone who had the privilege of knowing her will feel a bit emptier from her passing.

Miriam "Mimi" MacFarland

August 29, 2017

My first encounter with the great Diana Cavallo was as a student of her Advanced Fiction Writing class at Penn. She made mincemeat of my writing while at the same time encouraging the points she found to be superior to "any other writing she had seen". I earned a 4.0 for that one and took the course again. With Diana, there was always more to learn. She was a great teacher, a fine artist in her own right, and an unstinting champion of the work of her late husband, Karl Hagedorn. To know them intimately was among my life's greatest privileges. To see them interacting was a delight. And that she did not let his life, his work, or his death prevent her from that which she was intended to do, will remain a testament to Diana, always.

Luigi Giampaolo

July 22, 2017

Riposa in pace

Todd Holtsberry

July 15, 2017

Diana, you were a dear friend, who was like an aunt to me. I will always miss you, and will hold our shared memories in my heart.

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