Dr. Darrel Devon Diener

Dr. Darrel Devon Diener, beloved husband, brother, father, and doctor, passed away peacefully in his home on October 18, 2025 after living with Parkinson’s for over 20 years and dementia for 4 years. He was 83.

Darrel was born in Hutchinson, Kansas, on April 25, 1942, to Carrie and Daniel Diener, and moved to Middlebury, Indiana in 1943. He attended school in Middlebury and graduated from Bethany Christian High School in 1960. While attending Goshen College, Darrel moved with his family to Nigeria, where he attended Nsukka University his sophomore year. While at Goshen College, he courted Leona Saxton and they both graduated in 1964.

Darrel and Leona married on August 16, 1964, and in September they moved to Aibonito, Puerto Rico to complete two years of alternative service (1-W). Darrel worked in the laboratory of the Mennonite Hospital, where Leona was his supervisor, until August 1965. Darrel taught at Academia Menonita Betania for one year before starting medical school at the University of Puerto Rico in 1966. While in medical school, their son Daniel Andres was born. Darrel graduated in 1970 and took on an internship in Youngstown, Ohio for one year where their daughter Denise Ann was born. The couple returned to Puerto Rico to work at the Mennonite hospital in Aibonito.

Darrel began working at Hospital General Menonita as a family doctor. In 1973, their son David Duane was born. Darrel served as medical director and director of the emergency room, clinic, and intensive care unit from 1974 to 1994. He was the founding director of the hospice program and would make house calls to visit patients. Leona was employed by the hospital, where she directed the Clinical Laboratory. They valued the connections they made to the community through these roles and were well known for their service to the community.

In Puerto Rico, Darrel enjoyed taking family and friends snorkeling and body surfing in the beaches, and hiking in the San Cristóbal canyon and in “la finca de Diener” his orange, plantain, coffee and banana “farm” in the mountains.

The couple travelled with their children to the far western region of Nepal in 1978 and in 1990. Darrel served as a doctor with The Evangelical Alliance Mission at the Pokhara and Dadeldhura hospitals for six months while the missionary doctor was in the US on sabbatical. He saw numerous patients, assisted and performed surgeries, set fractures, and attended mothers delivering their babies, which were often difficult cases that were not successfully delivered at home.

In 1994, Darrel and Leona moved to McAllen Texas, where he worked at the Valley Medical Arts Clinic and as medical director of various nursing homes until retiring in 2010. While living in the Rio Grande Valley, they became aware of the needs of immigrants and became actively involved in providing services including housing. Darrel was involved in running the Rio Grande Mennonite Relief sale for numerous years.

Darrel’s life was guided by and reflected his deep faith. He and Leona were active church members in la Iglesia Evangelica Menonita de Aibonito, Puerto Rico, and later in Iglesia Buenas Nuevas in San Juan, Texas. In both congregations, he served as Sunday school teacher and in other leadership roles. In 2021, they began attending Walnut Hill Mennonite Church in Goshen.

Darrel enjoyed extensive travel with Leona and their children. They took Diener family tours to Mexico, India, Sudan, Egypt, Palestine, Europe, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. He and Leona took trips to Iran, Turkey, Russia, China, Burma, and many other countries which allowed them to experience the world. They attended seven consecutive Mennonite World Conferences, including Wichita in 1978, Strasbourg, Winnipeg, Calcutta, Bulawayo, Asunción and ending with Harrisburg in 2015. Through his example, he taught his children to also love travel and engage with other cultures.

Darrel was very witty and had a dry sense of humor. When he told a joke, it was always followed by a small smile to show he meant no harm. He enjoyed teaching his grandchildren how the world works and life skills such as woodworking. Darrel was a skilled woodworker like his father. He made small intricate pieces as well as large pieces such as bookcases and desks with drawers.

Darrel is survived by his wife, Leona of 61 years; three children, Daniel (Lynn) Diener, Denise (Gilberto Perez Jr.) Diener both of Goshen, Indiana, and David (Joanna) Moyer-Diener of Harrisonburg, Virginia; eight grandchildren: Ariana (Samuel Lasiti) Perez Diener of Nairobi, Kenya, Felix (Sofiya Perez) Perez Diener of San Francisco, California, Camila Perez-Diener, Phillip Moyer Diener, Naomi Moyer Diener, Dylan Diener, Daphne Diener, and Ari Diener; and one great-grandchild, Jesse Perez. Also surviving are his siblings; Karen (George) Thompson and Maribeth (Howard) Friesen, both of Goshen, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his brother Herbert in 1958, his father Daniel, in 2002, and his mother Carrie in 2020.

Darrel will be missed greatly by all of the people his life touched and remembered as a fun, caring and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather and doctor.

A memorial service will take place at Walnut Hill at a later date. Memorial gifts are welcome to Mennonite Central Committee.