DIANE STRAUS

STRAUS Diane Straus (Age 66) Publisher of the Washington Monthly and 29 time national platform tennis champion died December 20, 2017 at home surrounded by family in Washington, DC. The cause was complications from cancer, according to her son Peter Tucker. She had previously served as president and publisher of the American Prospect; group publisher of Manhattan Media, publisher of the Westchester and Fairfield County Times, and publisher of the Westchester Wag, Trader Publications, and the Cranford Citizen and Chronicle. Her first jobs were editing at New York Magazine and the Village Voice. Diane grew up in New York City and Washington, in a family active in media and liberal politics. She was a member of the 1973 Yale class, the first to include women. While at Yale she established the women's varsity tennis team and captained all four years. Diane played platform tennis at the highest level. She won National Championships with 12 different partners over four decades, capturing more gold medals and perhaps hearts than anyone in the history of the sport. She was inducted into the National Platform Hall of Fame in 2004. Diane's game was somewhat unorthodox, with a heavy western grip that she used to pummel her forehand return with laser-like efficiency. She set the standard for forehand side players, with consistency, towering lobs, and relentless pressure. Longtime partner Robin Rich Fulton said, "She was the brains of the outfit and I always used to say to her, "you were the one that went to Yale, so get us out of this tight spot we're in.' Diane's one weak link was her serve, with a toss so high that Fulton said she could read a chapter of Gone with the Wind while waiting for it to come down. Even with such an outstanding record, Diane's most compelling legacy was how she played the game, her demeanor, her smile when winning or losing, and her fairness, sportsmanship, and partnership skills. Diane served on the boards of the NAACP's Crisis Magazine, the Yale Alumni Magazine, the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, Woodley House, the Urban League, and GreenWood. She is survived by three children, Peter and his partner Julia Kann, Rebecca and her husband, Joe Gara, and David, by two granddaughters, Kai and Juno, and by her longtime love, John Curtis, who was her high school sweetheart and steadfast companion over the last decade of her life. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 2 p.m. at the Robert L. Smith Meeting Room at Sidwell Friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Greenwood Global (www.greenwoodglobal.org), the Latin American Youth Center, Ultimate Peace or the Ben Jealous Campaign for Maryland Governor.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Greenwood Global (www.greenwoodglobal.org), the Latin American Youth Center, Ultimate Peace or the Ben Jealous Campaign for Maryland Governor.