Diana Pearce

1949 - 2016

Diana Pearce
Oct. 10, 1949 - Apr. 22, 2016
Mountain View
Diana Jane Pearce, age 66, passed away peacefully at her home on April 22, 2016, from cancer. She was born on October 10, 1949 in Zebulon, NC to the late Jane Baker Pearce and C. E. Pearce Jr., LCDR USN ret. After graduating from Wakelon High School in Zebulon, NC, Diana went on to study nursing and received her BSN from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She began her career as a Registered Nurse at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.
In 1975, Diana moved to California to work at Stanford University Medical Center. For much of her career at Stanford she worked as a Critical Care Nurse on the Trauma Unit where she served as a Charge Nurse. She was also Chair of the Trauma Committee and was greatly appreciated by younger nurses for her teaching and guidance. After nearly 40 years at Stanford she retired in 2013.
Diana will be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor, her intense curiosity and passion for learning. She loved to read, hike, bird watch and explore new cuisines with friends. She also enjoyed music and theater.
Diana is preceded in death by her mother and father, as well as her aunt, Jane Pearce. She is survived by her aunts and uncles, Earl and Judy Baker of Durham, NC, Donald and Cleo Baker Collins of Dallas, TX, and Kenneth and Hilda Baker Ward of Richmond, VA and by her cousins Brian Baker of Statesville, NC, Donna Collins Herbert of Coeur d'Alene, ID, Carol Collins Payne of Dallas, TX, Michael Collins of San Francisco, CA, Jamie Price of Greer, SC and Nancy Ward Hawkes and Joan Ward Elliott, of Richmond, VA. Diana was also blessed with many loving friends who helped care for her during her illness, especially her co-worker nurses, too numerous to mention, but all dearly loved by her. She is also survived by long time friends, Terry Henderson, Mary Kay Bigelow, Heather Hawkins and John Duncan, Jack Duncan and her godson Cole Duncan. She left us much too soon and will be deeply missed by all.
A memorial service will be held for Diana on Friday, April 29 at 11:30AM at Alta Mesa Funeral Home, 695 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA. Relatives and friends of Diana are welcome to gather for light refreshments afterwards. Memorials may be given in her memory to the Audubon Society or Friends of the Mountain View Library.


View the online memorial for Diana Pearce