Dr. Nicholas Charles Diakon

1950 - 2021

Dr. Nicholas Charles Diakon
1950 - 2021

Dr. Nicholas Charles Diakon "Chuck" passed away on Sunday, April 25th, 2021, of natural causes, after a great meal with friends to conclude five days of golfing at his favorite course, Bandon Dunes, in Oregon. He shot an 82. He was a happy man.
Chuck is survived by his wonderful children; his daughter, Alexandra Janet (AJ), and his son, Jack, as well as his ex-wife and mother of his children, Leslie Yuki Diakon, his sister Janet Rotchford and husband PJ and their three children; JP, Hunter and Dylan, his mentor Dr. Richard Odom and wife Elise, and many close friends developed over years of golf.
Chuck was born on February 8th, 1950 to Nicholas and Myrtle Diakon in Newark, New Jersey. He developed his life-long love of golf while caddying at Galloping Hill Country Club. While caddying, he realized that doctors golfed each weekend (and Wednesday). This began his quest to become a doctor.
Chuck was Class President his Junior and Senior Years at Cranford High School - and Prom King! Chuck played golf and basketball in high school and was recruited by Muhlenberg College for basketball. In college, Chuck was President of his Freshman Class, Vice-President of his Fraternity Phi Kappa Tau, awarded Who's Who Among Students of American Universities and Colleges in 1972, and managed to join the golf team and allocate plenty of time to his golf game. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1972 and went on to attend the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. While in medical school, Chuck entered the army and after completing his rotational internship at Metropolitan Hospital in Philadelphia, was assigned to Fort Rucker in Alabama for U.S. Amy Flight Surgeon Training for his post-doctoral medical training in 1977. The next year, Chuck shipped off to the Boston University Emergency Trauma Course in Heidelberg, Germany, where he served as a U.S. Army Flight Surgeon, general practitioner, and emergency room physician for two years, earning the rank of Major in the Army Medical Corps.
Chuck headed West in 1979 for his three-year dermatology residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, California. Living in the Presidio overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Chuck met his mentor, now a dear honorable member of the Diakon family, Dr. Richard Odom, who was chief of the dermatology service at Letterman Army Medical Center and the former chairman of the department of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. Although retired, Dr. Odom and Chuck remained close friends with Dr. Odom and his wife Elise seamlessly becoming foster grandparents to Chuck's two children.
Chuck was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1995 as a major, earning the U.S. Army Commendation Medal in 1979 for "contributing immeasurably to the upgrading of Emergency Room Services" in Germany. Chuck earned this medal for his organizational skills - something many of us seem to have missed.
After separating from the U.S. Army, Chuck moved to San Anselmo, CA and entered the private practice of dermatology in Tracy. He also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at UCSF and served as chief of staff at Tracy Memorial Hospital.
In 1994, Chuck met his ex-wife, Leslie. The two were wed on September 15th, 1995. They lived together in San Anselmo and soon started a family. First came their daughter, AJ, in the summer of 1998. The family moved up to Napa Valley in 1999 after Chuck moved to a dermatology practice in Napa where he worked to the present. They welcomed their second child, a son, Jack, in the spring of 2001. Chuck enjoyed sharing his love of golf with his kids, as well as supporting and riding along for all adventures they chose to pursue. He faithfully attended every single performance, sports game, and school activity in which his kids participated. He was very proud that AJ works and lives in New York City and Jack attends the University of Denver as a Chemistry major. Chuck was happy that AJ attended university in Pennsylvania at Lehigh University, allowing her to be close with his sister, Janet, who lives in Rumson, New Jersey, and giving him an easy excuse to pop in for a round of golf with his nephews.
Chuck taught as a member of the faculty at UCSF as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology (something he continued until present), and the California Institute of Behavioral Neuroscience & Psychology. Chuck loved teaching and felt that the highlight of his career was his involvement in academia. Chuck maintained an active membership of the American Academy of Dermatology, along with several other medical organizations. He was also on the Medical Staff of the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa Valley since July of 1999. In 2019, Chuck was the recipient of the Marquis Who's Who Top Doctors, along with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his professional and family life, Chuck was an avid sports enthusiast, especially basketball and golf. He was an active member of the Olympic Club and the Napa Valley Country Club.
Chuck enjoyed life, lived for today, and his children were the loves of his life. He woke up every day, played a round of golf (or wished he could), and successfully tried to be the best dad in the world.
The family is planning a celebration of life for sometime this summer. Details will be communicated.