Diana Jane Barliant
March 26, 1946 – July 3, 2012
Click Here for her Life History and Photos
Diana (DJ) Barliant, wife of Nowell C. Wisch, mother to Rachael Davila (Santee) and Jeannine Cohen (Berkeley), grandmother to Alex and Ashley Davila and Asher and Dinah Cohen, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home after a decade long battle with disease. DJ was born in Chicago to Samuel and Dorothy Barliant and lived in Miami FL and New York City for many years before marrying Nowell in 1984 and moving to San Diego in 1987. She retired from a management position with Pan Am Airlines and Continental Airlines Computer Systems in 1986 and she then worked in the special education department of San Diego City Schools, retiring in 2005.
DJ served on the Board of Director of the American Technion Society for many years, and traveled several times to Israel to dedicate dormitories donated in her family name. She was also a passionate supporter of arts, education and culture, serving on the San Diego Jewish Book Fair, the San Diego Jewish Film Festival and a term as secretary of The Globe Guilders, supporters of the Old Globe Theater.
DJ’s passion, however, was music. She toured Europe with Frederick Fennell and the American Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1972 and she continued her love of music playing violin in a number of community orchestras including TICO, San Diego State University and USD. She developed a scholarship program supporting several violin students and string quartets at San Diego State and DJ was quite involved with the San Diego chapter of music sorority Sigma Alpha Iota.
Although she traveled extensively throughout the world, she was happiest happy at home in her garden. Her life revolved around family and her vast network of friends and musicians. She took particular delight in spending time with her grandchildren.
The Memorial Service was held on July 22, 2012 at her home. Alex and Pastor Wayne Kempton presided and 122 family and friends attended.
Contributions in her memory can be made in her name to:
American Techion Society- http://www.ats.org
The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy – http://www.sandiegozooglobal.org/
The American Cancer Society – http://www.cancer.org/index