Diane Igoe Mnookin   "Di" Spectator Staff 56; Pep Club Officer 56; Glee Club 55,56; A Cappella 56;  Prom Committee 54.

Diane passed away January 27, 2017

Stephanie Mnookin Obit and Guestbook

2006

My family moved to Liberty in 1954 and Mike Maloney and I were the “new kids” in our Junior year at LHS. Though we can’t exchange kindergarten memories at reunions, we did manage to fit in after a while. (Mike knew George and Sharon’s mother made her invite me to a party.)  .

I can’t imagine what the teen years would have been like without Murt and Nancy and Sharon and I becoming inseparable…or was that insufferable. LHS was a great place to complete high school. Lasting friendships are hard come by in this world, but for our class, it seemed a natural

After we were all forced out of the nest and had to leave the comfortable, fun years, I attended Research Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City. After graduation, I worked in several different fields of nursing.   From  '62 to '72, I was a psychiatric nurse, eventually specializing in substance abuse treatment.  In 1972, I joined Community Addictions Programs and from '76 to '91, served as Executive Director. In '91, I resigned the full time position and did some consulting until 1994 when I retired. I have to say that being a psych nurse was my favorite job. I don’t know how much LHS prepared me for that…  

I met Don in February,1971 when I rang his doorbell while collecting for the Heart Fund. Instead of slamming the door in my face, he graciously donated to the fund and I was hooked. After a  “whirlwind” courtship, we were married in 1975.  Don attended Southwest High School in KC and graduated from Yale in 1959.  He was in the Coast Guard, active duty and reserves, and retired as Commander of the local reserve unit. Don was in the corrugated container business with Smurfit Stone Container Corp.for 39 years and was General Manager of the Liberty and Blue Springs plants. He retired in June, 2004. 

Our daughter, Stephanie, graduated from Vassar and is an actress. She and her husband, Phil, are involved in theater in New York as well as a number of other venues in the US and Europe. Stephanie also does TV, movies and comedy theater and Phil creates and directs experimental theater and teaches. We have no grandchildren yet, but a much loved grand cat named Franny. 

Both my parents died; mother in 1991 and Pete in 1995. My “little” bother Mike is a lawyer in Liberty and is married to Diane. They have three children, three grandchildren and live in K.C. 

Retirement is great. It’s amazing how we seem to mellow out without the work stress.  We are traveling some (my favorite thing to do) and are looking forward to more great times. 

Sadly we report that Stephanie Mnookin passed away very suddenly September 27, 2006

1967 - 2006