Marian Diehl, 73; Longtime La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Accountant

According to her husband, Fletcher, Marian Diehl was one tough cookie—as a longtime employee in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District’s accounts payable department, she refused to sign checks if they didn’t pass muster.

That toughness came in handy after Diehl was diagnosed with scleroderma.  Instead of responding to the disease in any sort of defeatist manner, she and her husband joined the Greater San Diego Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation, later becoming active board members (Fletcher Diehl is currently serving as chapter president).

Marian Louise Diehl, 73, died May 6.

As self-professed “dynamic warriors in the fight against scleroderma,” the Diehls traveled around the country to conventions for the disease, raising awareness and helping countless others.  But beyond her valiant efforts working with the Scleroderma Foundation, Diehl also enjoyed gardening, traveling and hunting, in addition to her role as a devoted wife, mother, and member of the North Park Community Church. 

Services for Diehl were held May 15 at her church, but her husband encourages donations to be made in Marian’s memory to the Scleroderma Foundation, Greater San Diego Chapter, P.O. Box 15836, San Diego, CA 92175-5836.  According to Diehl, 80 percent of funds raised in his chapter go directly to research—something many other disease foundations cannot boast.

More information about Marian Diehl can be found on her announcement.

Other La Mesans in Memoriam:

A charter member of Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church, also taught elementary school for many years at St. Luke's Lutheran Day School in La Mesa.

was a well-known baseball nut, playing on La Mesa’s senior softball team and spending countless hours talking baseball at the Lake Murray Café.

Grossmont High School alumna also worked at SDSU’s Aztec Shops for 30 years.