DIANE WRIGHT

WRIGHT DIANE MILLS ROSE WRIGHT (Age 77) Esteemed and Endearing Liaison to the PHS Commissioned Corps Diane Mills Wright, who exemplified the best as a civil servant and endeared herself to countless PHS Commissioned Corps and other Federal agency personnel, died on December 11, 2018 at Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. She was 77. She lived in N. Potomac, MD. Diane was the beloved wife of Gilbert Wright, Jr., whom she married in 1989 in Darnestown, MD. and is also survived by her brother, Eric Mills, and his wife Nancy of Gaithersburg, MD and her other brother, Craig Mills of Houston, TX. Diane's first marriage to Michael C. Rose in 1959 ended in divorce in 1979. Diane Wright was born in Endicott, N.Y., on September 12, 1941. Her parents, Carmen and George Mills, predeceased her. Diane graduated from Richard Montgomery High School. in 1959 and University of Maryland in 1979. Diane was a member of Darnestown, MD, Presbyterian Church. She was past president of the Friends of the Library chapter at Quince Orchard Library in N. Potomac, MD. She was president of NIH Toastmasters Club in 1984 when that club was awarded Top Ten Club in the world. She was also a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) and served as an Area Governor in 1987. Diane Wright served for 35 years as a civilian employee in the Federal workforce. First employed for the Air Force at the Pentagon from 1959 to 1965, she then worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Rockville from 1965 to 1971. Then Diane worked at the Commissioned Personnel Operations Division (CPOD) in the Public Health Service (PHS) at the Parklawn Building in Rockville from 1971 to 1980. From 1980 to 1988 Diane served as the lead PHS Commissioned Corps Liaison for N.I.H. Then from 1988 to her retirement in 1994, Diane worked for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in Rockville. Diane was the consummate Commissioned Corps liaison. As the key communication link between PHS commissioned officers, agency leadership, and Human Resources personnel, she counseled and guided PHS commissioned officers and agency supervisors on a wide range of personnel matters. Diane had a wonderful personality that equipped her well to work with the PHS Commissioned Officers, and she knew so much. People had confidence in her answers and loved her for helping them. She was both charming and humorous at the same time. The 1980's were the heyday of the Corps at N.I.H., and Diane made these some of the best days in the career lives of many PHS officers. Diane received many outstanding awards during her career including the prestigious Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Award. A memorial service will be held at Rockville Presbyterian Church, 215 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850 on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 11 a.m. Inurnment will follow immediately at Parklawn Memorial Cemetery, 12800 Veirs Mill Rd., Rockville, MD 20853. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Kidney Foundation or your favorite charity. A memorial service will be held at Rockville Presbyterian Church, 215 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850 on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 11 a.m. Inurnment will follow immediately at Parklawn Memorial Cemetery, 12800 Veirs Mill Rd., Rockville, MD 20853. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Kidney Foundation or your favorite charity.