YARMOUTH — Diana Louise Grell (Oct. 25, 1954 – June 27, 2008).
“Do not stand by my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am a diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand by my grave and cry.
I am not there….I did not die.”
~Hopi
Diana Louise Grell died at home, June 27, 2008, in the early morning light with her two daughters and her older sister by her side. After an 8-year struggle with cancer, she leaves her daughters Heather Demers, 25, and her partner Justin Lonegan; Brigitte Demers, 21, and her partner Sam Knight; her mother, Helen Grell; her sister, Mary Cappelli and her family of Syracuse, NY; three brothers: Christopher Grell and his family of San Raphael, California; Thomas Grell and his family of Islip Terrace, NY and Peter Grell of Deer Park, NY and her life partner and loyal companion, Dan DeRaspe of Farmington, Maine.
Diana grew up in Deer Park, NY, swimming in the waters of Long Island. She received her RN at the College of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas and lived and worked in Texas, S. Carolina, California, Oregon, Camden, Augusta and N. Yarmouth, Maine. Diana received her Masters of Science in Nursing in 2001 from the University of Southern Maine. She served as the occupational health nurse of the Army National Guard in Camp Keyes, Augusta. With her keen intellect and sharp, quick wit, often irreverent sense of humor, she
formed a myriad of relationships with her coworkers and soldiers whom she treated with comfort, concern and care. Achieving rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Diana was honored last Friday, June 20, with the Meritorious Service Medal for her 27 years of service, presented by General John Libby and Colonel John Jaansen, and read by Mary O’Mara, retired Sergeant Major, at her home in North Yarmouth.
Diana, a woman of the earth and sky, possessed a strong love of nature, found solace and comfort in animals, the song of birds, the trees, the colors of the sky, the mountain lakes and ocean waves. She loved
Christmas trees and Halloween costumes and pumpkins. She adored her animals and they always surrounded her life. In her final days, Jupiter her blind and deaf Springer spaniel; Diesel, a German husky; her cats: Rudy, Fluffernutter and Peakabu remained in her bedroom through her final hours. Diana leaves
many fine friends she kept throughout her life who continued to show their enduring love and support through the end.
A celebration of Diana’s life and indomitable spirit will be held Wed. morning July 2, 2008 at 10 AM at Dan DeRaspe’s camp in Little Ellis Pond (Garland Pond) in Byron. A lunch will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Soldier’s Fund for Iraq Veterans, Camp Keyes, Augusta, Me. 04330 or to the VNA Home Health and Hospice of Southern Maine 50 Foden Rd. S. Portland, Me. 04106. On-line condolences may be sent to wilesfuneralhomes@verizon.net. Service arrangements are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center: Cremation Service and Funeral Home, 137 Farmington Falls Rd., (Rtes. 2 & 27) Farmington, Maine 04938.
