Diane George, our vibrant life of the party, passed away on March 27 just short of her 60th birthday. It was cancer and a lung condition that did her in. She was so mad about that.

As friends and family know, Diane loved travel, poker, cooking, eating, film (especially Godfather 1 and 2), opera, theater, and Greece. A New York transplant, Diane never lost her NY style ("are you gonna eat that or what?").

Over the years, Diane studied at NYU and in Kenya and at SF State, worked as a research technician at NYU and SF General during the AIDS crisis, had a stint as a production assistant, taught high school biology and ultimately earned a Masters Degree. During Diane's last years she was a social worker with the Institute on Aging. She loved chatting it up with older folks and hearing their life stories. She cared deeply about her clients.

Diane brought us all together over red eggs and spanakopita in her annual and often raucous Greek Easter dinners, her annual tree-trimming parties, Warriors games, and her bolognese. We'll miss her loud New Yorker's "Hey!" coming from the kitchen when we walked in the house, and how she always asked what was going on with us before we had a chance to sit down -- and how well she listened and remembered what was happening in our lives.

Diane is survived by her son, Evan Lucas-George; her mom, Maria; brothers Alex (Holly), Greg (Missy) and Mike; nephews, Alex, Tommy, Jack and Ben; nieces Olivia and Hannah; aunts Helen and Cleo, and numerous cousins and friends, including Evan's other mom, Stacey.

A celebration of Diane's life will be held sometime after the awful Covid-19 virus fades enough to get together, possibly on both coasts. If you would like to attend the celebration(s), please let us know by emailing [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the arts organization of your choice.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Apr. 10 to Apr. 12, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Diane George

7 Entries

Makalia Aga

April 4, 2022

May her soul Rest In Eternal Peace.

Cesar Smith Diaz

April 20, 2020

My deepest condolences to all of you.She was my coworker at IOA and my dear friend too.
Cesar S Diaz

Jade Way

April 17, 2020

Diane, you will be sincerely missed. You had such a strong and gentle presence about you. You were a fierce advocate for your clients, and I admired your spunk and how you were always professional, but human in your approach. The impact that you've made on this plane is one that will have a long lasting effect. I will miss your laugh and our passing conversations in the halls, and the tenacity you had for the most vulnerable in our community. May God bless over your family and friends as they mourn the loss of a truly unique and beautiful soul.

Adriana Amador

April 17, 2020

Diane, I will always remember you with love. You were an incredible mentor, colleague and friend. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with you, and I will treasure every piece of advice you gave me. Your willingness to listen and be present for your clients was always admirable. Diane will be greatly missed.
My deepest condolences to her son who she spoke about so often and all her loved ones.

Makalia Aga

April 17, 2020

We talked so much about everything, especially concerts and movies. We talked about Greece and St George church way up in the mountain. Fresh Baklava! I will miss you Diane.
My deepest condolence to her son and family.
Love always.
Makalia Aga

Lisa Olsen

April 16, 2020

I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Diane a few times over the past few years. She had something special - she was passionate, strong and she worked hard for her clients. Mostly we enjoyed exchanging quiet, encouraging, knowing smiles in the hallway. Her office was near mine so we would bump into each other on early mornings, the long days, days filled with laughter, tough days. I will light a candle for Diane this evening. My thoughts will be with her family and friends. She will be missed.