Schools

Wells Middle School Loses Beloved Employee and Friend

Dianna Moran, 58, died May 7 after a long battle with cancer.

Dianna Moran wasn't just a Dublin resident, mother of two grown children and wife of 36 years. She was also a fighter. Just ask any of the teachers and staff she worked with for more than a decade at .

Moran, former student activities coordinator, spent more than a year fighting leukemia. Despite her battle — chemotherapy and monthlong stays in the hospital — she died May 7.

"It's so sad. I think about it all the time," said Steve Martin, assistant principal. "It's such a huge loss to our school."

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Teachers recall Moran's constant smile and sense of humor. Her kindness and warmth has left a mark on the school and its students.

Eighth-grader Liz Rubio was eager to share her memories of the person she said made the school "a happy place."

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"You can't forget her," said Rubio. "On the first day of school she took the time to explain everything. She knew everyone personally and paid attention. She really cared."

If that compassion was evident to students, it was just as apparent to staff members.

Sitting in a lunch room during a break, teachers remembered Moran's presence at school events. She was the person willing to stay late to help out with school dances. She helped coordinate sports awards ceremonies and called parents to make sure they completed the necessary paperwork to drive to sporting events.

One teacher noted that Moran even went so far as to sharpen pencils for tests. She did all these things but refused to be in the spotlight for work at school or in her many volunteer roles.

"She was hard-working, dedicated and went above and beyond," said eighth-grade teacher Melissa Fields.

Moran helped kids with anything, from ensuring they had a ride home to making sure they had their P.E. clothes. She went out of her way to be helpful and many said the school feels different without her.

Principal Kathy Rosselle said Moran "was the most courageous woman I've ever known."

Moran would tell co-workers that she was determined to beat the cancer and fight to get well so that she could return to the kids.

"It feels like she should always be here," said Rosselle.

The principal's secretary, Jan Gurske, was among those who knew Moran best. The two women were more than co-workers, they were good friends, thanks to the fact that they had children in school at the same time.

"She was always involved and everything revolved around her kids," said Gurske, fighting back tears.

"She was a great friend, a terrific volunteer. She never said 'No.' "

Gurske recalls Moran's determination to beat her cancer included routine walks in the hospital.

"She would say, 'I'm fighting this, I'm going to keep fighting this.' "

Gurske said Moran would walk laps in hospital hallways, pushing her IV pole, to catch views of San Francisco. 

That determination didn't surprise Athletics Director John Cardinalli.

"She knew she had to get stronger," he said.

The two started walking after school to stay active and healthy long before Moran's diagnosis. They first met when Moran's children were in Cardinalli's class. 

"It doesn't seem like it's real," he said of her death. "She was so involved and committed to doing her job. She never looked at the clock to see when she could leave because to her it wasn't about time."

Cardinalli said what mattered to Moran were the students, a sentiment echoed by students, members of the staff, teachers and parents.

"I first met Dianna when I was a terrified mom sending my oldest to Wells Middle School for the first time," said Stacey Maloney. "Dianna was one of the office staff at Wells. I found her to be such a friendly, comforting part of the staff at Wells."

"The longer I was an active parent at Wells I noticed what a wonderfully dedicated person Dianna was to both the school and the kids. I would often find her still at school into the evenings. She would even drive out to other schools to cheer on the Wells kids in basketball and volleyball," Maloney recalled.

On Friday, students from the Wells Middle School jazz band will remember Moran in a special way while joining other students from throughout the Tri-Valley in the second annual Jazzin' for a Cure concert. The event benefits the American Cancer Society and the ALS Association. The band will play a song in remembrance of Moran, "Just When I'm Thinking About You" (For a preview of the performance, click on the video). 

Those at Wells Middle School said repeatedly that Dianna Moran will be remembered for her work, kindness, compassion and devotion to helping students. There's no forgetting what she did on a daily basis without hesitation.

"She helped create a loving campus," said Rosselle. "She made sure that every single student mattered."

According to her obituary, friends and family are invited to a non-religious memorial reception from 2 to 5 p.m. May 28 at the r. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.


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