Obituary of Daniel Dimond

Dan Dimond How do you summarize someone’s life that touched so many? There are the statistics: Dan was born in Cedar Rapids Iowa on December 2, 1952. He attended Jefferson HS where he first discovered his love of theater and art. He also found out how a good teacher could forever change the course of one’s life. He went to the University of Northern Iowa where he met his love of over 50 years, Laurie. He finished his undergraduate degree in Technical Theater at Oklahoma City University theater. He completed a master’s degree in Educational leadership at St. Mary’s University. Then there is his life story. He and Laurie moved to the Twin Cities in 1976 after Dan completed an internship at the Guthrie Theater. They have three daughters: Erin Dimond (Roy Power) Ellsworth WI, Megan Dimond, Minneapolis and Kristen Van Stee, Minneapolis. Erin and Dan shared a love for theater and movies. Dan finally got a son, and another artist, when she married Roy. Megan and her love for themes bonded her with her dad with incredibly detailed birthday parties and the Princess Bride. Kristen was the last born, but always gave her dad joy with Get A Life Games and making up songs about a mouse. The Dimond family was complete in 2007, when Kristen gave birth to granddaughter Nola, Dan’s artistic soulmate. They shared a love for creativity, art and monster books. Dan worked in the Twin Cities’ theater community for several years before returning to where his heart was in educational theater. He found a home at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. His passion for teaching art and theater bloomed there. In the 27 years he taught there he designed and built over 95 productions for the theater and developed the AP art program. He was blessed by all the students who went through those programs. Dan’s illness took so much away from him. It was a cruel disease that he is now free from. He is preceded in death by his father Milton Dimond, mother Elsie Darnell and brother Frank Dimond. We will be honoring Dan- Mr. Dimond to so many of you, with a Celebration of Life at his second home, the theater at the Academy of Holy Angels, on Saturday, June 1 at 4:00 pm. Reception to follow in the AHA Commons. In lieu of flowers, please considering honoring Dan by donating to the Academy of Holy Angels Theater program or Scholarship fund or the hospice that provided such good care at the end of his life, Our Lady Peace Hospice in St. Paul, MN. We all carry a piece of him in our hearts. “Life is a continual creative act.”