Diana Seifert

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Diana was born in Dayton, Ohio, to Valentine and Geraldine Seifert, the oldest of five children. She studied English Literature in college, receiving her BA from Hanover College, her MA from the University of Texas at Austin, and her PhD from the University of Michigan. She taught college English for several years. Then she moved on to leading encounter groups and studied with Carl Rogers in La Jolla, CA. Most of her career after that was as a writer. She wrote training materials for Starbucks when they were first expanding beyond a handful of stores in Seattle. She wrote the technical manuals for Paul Allen’s submarine. For many years, she worked with FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) as a Public Affairs Officer, writing press releases and stories and dealing with the media at disaster sites.

Diana began studying piano at the age of 8, a love that she stayed with all her life. She also played the guitar and was an accomplished singer. She performed for many years with the San Diego Master Chorale, performing the great choral masterworks with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. After several years with the Bainbridge Island group Renaissance Jazz, she sang in Port Townsend with Songlines.

Diana was devoted to her husband of many years, Ken Bear. Together they loved the outdoors and hiked throughout the Olympic Mountains. They loved boating. Diana was a kayaker for many years and built her own Pygmy kayak. She was an avid runner for 25 years.

Diana led a Toastmasters group at the women’s prison in Purdey for many years. She also volunteered in Port Townsend with ECHHO.

Diana had one son, Nathan Ellzey. His wife, Angela, and their five children were an important part of her life.

She is survived by her husband, Ken Bear; her sisters, Sue Williams and Anne Larkins and her brother, Bill Seifert; her son and daughter-in-law, Nathan & Angela Ellzey; and her five grandchildren, Tiffany Haskin, Lauren Ellzey, Jordan Ellzey, Patrick Ellzey and Michael Gentry.