Diana Moeser

After a valiant struggle with cancer Diana died peacefully on September 18, 2013, with the loving support of family and friends. Pre-deceased by her parents, Ruth and Ted Moeser, she is mourned by her devoted husband, Meyer Brownstone, her brother Hugh Moeser and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren from both Brownstone and Moeser families, as well as friends, colleagues and neighbours. Diana was educated at St. Clements School, where she excelled in academics as well as athletics and showed her talents as a leader as Head Girl; and at the University of Toronto where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Arts and an M.A. (political science), and a Masters in health administration.

Diana spent her working life in the forefront of the struggle for social justice at home and abroad, always in the public service or in civil society organizations. Her career is a model of this orientation. She was a senior employee of the Doctors Hospital, where she participated in the fight to keep it alive. From her base there she was the founder of Toronto’s first women’s addiction treatment centre located on Dundas West-now the Women’s Own Withdrawal Management Centre. It was necessary to overcome an aggressive NIMBY opposition, but she prevailed. She later became Vice-President–ambulatory care and urban affairs of Wellesley Hospital and remained in that post until the hospital was closed. Her work there was crucial for the health services to a population which was characterized by a high level of poverty, LGBT and HIV/AIDS, and here she displayed her social activism and her technical competence. In her work as volunteer in civil society organizations Diana’s main activities were as Chair of the Canadian Society for International Health where she established important overseas links, Board member regionally and nationally of Oxfam Canada for many years, chair of the Board of the Regent Park Health Centre, Member of the Board and Chair of the programme Committee of Pathways to Education, a national organization dedicated to the education of marginalized youth including first nations youth and youth in well known chronic poverty communities across Canada with substantial immigration populations. She has also been a neighbourhood activist. Finally, in recent years she has returned to the academic sphere by becoming an adjunct professor in health policy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Health.

Diana loved to be surrounded by children, always playing and laughing with kids from the neighbourhood. She was an exceptionally caring grandmother and great-grandmother, continuously devoting her energy to the wellbeing of those whom she loved. Diana’s positivity always radiated through the family gatherings, providing a sense of warmth which will never be forgotten. Her involvement in the lives of her family was inspiring, and it will always be remembered by all those she touched.

Diana has chosen not to have a funeral and to be cremated. She would welcome donations in her memory to the various non-governmental organizations in which she had worked.