Diane Maureen PARKS

Diane Parks (January 1946 to January 2019) passed away peacefully at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Palliative Care Unit after a courageous thirteen month battle with ALS.  She is survived by her loving husband Don Switzer, daughter Leith Fermin-Rix, son in law Jeff Rix, granddaughters Eva, Stella and Arianna, sisters Louise, Jackie, Melba and brother Terry.  Diane was predeceased by her mother Margaret, father Owen and sister Beverly.

Diane was born in Halifax and grew up in the suburb of Armdale.  She graduated from Dalhousie University with a BA and B Ed after which she taught at John W. MacLeod Elementary School in Armdale for thirty years.  She is remembered as a favourite teacher who emphasised teaching her students how to learn.  Her class was a perennial winner of the regional poetry writing competition.  Diane always had a special place in her heart for challenged children, believing they could do much more than people expected and she was invariably right.

After suffering from a stroke, Diane retired in 1998 and moved to the west coast to be with her teenage sweetheart Don.  They lived together in White Rock for two years before moving to Gabriola Island.  Don and Diane have spent the past twenty one years travelling extensively in Europe, North America and China.

Since moving west, Diane has been able to pursue her interests in singing, writing poetry and discovered a talent for drawing wildlife.  More importantly she has had the time to become extensively involved in a wide variety of charitable work including but not limited to collecting for the Heart Fund, lunches for the elderly and less fortunate and, particularly close to her heart, Samaritans Purse Christmas Boxes for children in Latin America and Africa.  Although a lifelong Anglican, Diane has always been happy to collaborate with other church congregations in charitable endeavours.

Diane has embarked on her final journey and she will be missed by her family and many friends and colleagues both on Gabriola and in Nova Scotia.

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