Obituary of Diana L. Goodrich

Birth: May 19, 1955

Sacramento, California, USA

Death: July 14, 2023

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Longtime Tucson resident Diana Lee Goodrich, aged 68, passed away Friday evening, July 14, 2023.

Diana was raised by her mother, Carole Rich, in Santa Maria, California, where she graduated from high school. Diana attended community college while applying to attend Harvey Mudd College. She graduated from Harvey Mudd in 1978 with a BS in Physics. She then spent a year at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a Physics Ph.D. program but moved back to California after marrying in Reno on her birthday in 1979.

Starting in 1979, Diana worked part-time for General Dynamics while completing her master’s degree in solid-state physics from UCLA, then transitioning to full-time work in microelectronics. When the Pomona microelectronics operation began to shut down, Diana moved to Capacity Planning and Operations Research in support of factory operations for several years, winning several special bonuses for innovations. In 1987 Diana retired from active paid work, engaging for a couple of years in volunteer work for the Pomona Humane Society.

Diana and her husband moved from southern California to Tucson, AZ, in 1994 with his work. Diana soon found a passion for stone polishing and setting.  In later years, she transitioned to bead and pearl stringing.  While David was still working in Tucson, Diana supported many outings of the Stinger and Javelin programs to her and others’ delight.  Once her mother moved to Tucson, Diana attended several local Altrusa functions.

In 2021 Breast Cancer, last seen in 1989, returned. Diana had a second mastectomy, but the cancer had metastasized into her liver. Various treatments were tried, and she joined an experimental program in 2023. In March, she was hospitalized with pneumonia and valley fever, followed by four weeks in rehab and then rehab at home.  Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated, and she was readmitted to the hospital this time for treatment of sepsis.  After a week in the hospital, Diana opted for Home Hospice and came home to spend her last four weeks at home with her husband David, caregivers, and hospice helpers.  

Ms. Goodrich is survived by her husband of 44 years, David Hardesty of Tucson; her Uncle Norman Helzer of Fort Mohave, AZ, stepsister Kathryne Rich of Eugene, OR, stepsister Jane Rich Newton and her husband Bill of Gresham, OR, stepsister Patricia Pribrey and her husband Marty of Eugene, OR, stepsister Barbara Thomas and her husband John of Tucson, AZ, brother-in-law Clair Hardesty and his wife Ann of Chico, CA, sister-in-law Janet Freitas of Medford, OR, and sister-in-law Cindy Crawford and her husband Ron of Philomath, OR.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Carole J Rich, stepfather Ret TSGT William Rich, mother-in-law and father-in-law Dorothy and Glenn Hardesty, and recently by her uncle Richard Helzer.

A Service will be held in Tucson for Diana at the Adair Funeral Home at 1050 N Dodge Blvd, on Saturday, September 2, at 10:00 am.