Diana Emily Wessell

May 23, 1938 - November 11, 2011

Residence: Santa Cruz, California

Diana died peacefully on Friday, November 11 after a valiant nine-year battle with lung cancer. She was able to stay in her home in her beloved Santa Cruz mountains until two months before her death.

She was born in San Mateo and lived in the Bay Area most of her life. She was a 1955 graduate of Palo Alto High School. She attended the University of California Berkeley and the University at Davis and received an AA in Scientific Data Processing at Foothill College.

Diana spent her career as a software engineer working for various Silicon Valley high tech firms including Biomation, Olivetti and Lockheed. While working for Lockheed she was relocated to Germany for 4½ years where she enjoyed traveling extensively. In her spare time she was an avid bridge player. She played bridge on Tuesday with her old group and won. She was a member of several wildlife and environmental groups.

Diana was predeceased by her parents June and Alfred Wessell and her three brothers. She is survived by a daughter Michele Anne Sund of Scotts Valley; and son, Erik Andrew Sund of San Francisco and many friends.

Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Nov. 18, 2011