Halda, Diana Elisabeth Coffey

Diana Elisabeth Coffey Halda, 93, of Washington, Iowa, died Monday, June 20, 2011, at Halcyon House in Washington following an enduring illness. Mass of the Resurrection will be held 11 a.m. Friday, June 24, at St. James Catholic Church in Washington, with Father Troy Richmond officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 until 11 a.m. Friday in Tobin Hall at St. James Catholic Church before the mass. Interment will take place at Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington.

Diana Elisabeth Halda was born March 22, 1918, in Wellman, Iowa, the daughter of Elmer Ivan and Lola (Oldaker) Coffey. She attended school in Wellman until her senior year when she moved with her family to Iowa City and transferred to Iowa City High School, where she graduated in 1935. She worked at the Wellman Advance the next two years before entering Coe College in Cedar Rapids in 1937. She graduated from Coe in 1941. Diana taught vocal music and English in Ainsworth Consolidated Schools for the next two years.

On Dec. 23, 1942, Diana was united in marriage to Ensign Francis Halda USNR of Cedar Rapids at Immaculate Conception Church in Cedar Rapids. When she was in her 40s, she attended Richmond Professional Institute (now Commonwealth University) in Richmond, Va., and Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Ill., where she received her M.A. degree in Library Science in 1968. She was named to Beta Phi Mu, international honorary library science fraternity. Diana was a librarian at Highland Park Elementary School in Richmond, Va., librarian at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Ill., head librarian at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Ill., and supervisor of Library Technical Services for High School District 214 in Illinois.

Upon retirement in 1981, she and her husband moved to Halcyon House in Washington, Iowa. When Lillian Dehne, administrator of Halcyon House, learned that Diana had librarian experience, she asked Diana to be the librarian at Halcyon. Diana's husband, Francis, was interested in the library too. He helped shelve the books and gave much financial help to buy the books. The library was designated “Diana's Place” in 2008.

During her lifetime, Diana was a member of St. James Catholic Church, DAR, DAC and AAUW and was active in PTA, Delta Delta Delta sorority, Questers, Fortnightly and Chapter J PEO. She was named to Who's Who of American Women in the 1970s. In 2008, Diana received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Iowa Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

She is survived by her daughter, Mary Diana Simpson of Hackettstown, N.J.; son, Anthony Halda and wife Jodi of Klamath Falls, Ore.; six grandchildren, Rob Simpson and wife Kim of Carlstadt, N.J., Mike Simpson and wife Julia of Camp Red Cloud, South Korea, Jim Simpson and wife Melanie Lynskey of Los Angeles, Calif., Shannon Halda Wipf of Portland, Ore., Jennie Lee and husband Jack of Klamath Falls, Ore., and Anthony Halda and wife Shannan of Klamath Falls, Ore.; great-grandchildren, Hannah and Logan Lee, Katie and Andrew Halda of Klamath Falls, Ore., Zoe Christine Fernandez of Portland, Ore., Nicholas Simpson of Camp Red Cloud, South Korea and Francis Raymond Simpson of Carlstadt, N.J.; as well as many nieces and nephews, including Jean Morrison Macenski and husband Dan of Washington, Iowa.

Diana was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 2006; brothers, Max Coffey, Hubert Coffey, Francis Coffey and Dr. Jim Coffey; sisters, Marcia Morgan, Helen Grass, Kathleen Morrison and Jean Gray; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Memorials have been established for “Diana's Place” at Halcyon House.

Online condolences may be sent for Diana's family through the web at