| Luna Diamond |
2006
Luna Diamond, 90, former secretary to the National Council on the Arts, died after a stroke Jan. 28 at Summerville
Assisted Living in Potomac, where she lived.
Assisted Living in Potomac, where she lived.
Mrs. Diamond, once described by actor James Earl Jones as the council's own Jewish mother, worked for the
arts agency for 15 years. She became assistant to Roger Stevens at the newly formed National Endowment for
the Arts in 1965. She later served as congressional liaison under chairman Nancy Hanks until retiring in 1980.
arts agency for 15 years. She became assistant to Roger Stevens at the newly formed National Endowment for
the Arts in 1965. She later served as congressional liaison under chairman Nancy Hanks until retiring in 1980.
Luna Diamond, a
candy striper at
age 9, was a
lifelong volunteer.
(Family Photo)
candy striper at
age 9, was a
lifelong volunteer.
(Family Photo)
She previously had been a secretary to Clinton P. Anderson (D-N.M.), beginning in 1941 when he was a
congressman, through his term as secretary of agriculture in the Truman administration, and into several of his
terms as a senator.
congressman, through his term as secretary of agriculture in the Truman administration, and into several of his
terms as a senator.
A Washington native, Mrs. Diamond was part of the first graduating class at Theodore Roosevelt High School in
1933. She went on to Columbus School of Law at Catholic University but dropped out to care for an ailing parent.
1933. She went on to Columbus School of Law at Catholic University but dropped out to care for an ailing parent.
She was a community volunteer throughout her life, at one point serving on 18 community boards, and was
included in the book Women of Achievement in Maryland History (2002). She was a recipient of the Elliot Niles
award from the B'nai B'rith and the Woman of Valor award in 1995. She was named Senior Volunteer of the Year
by the Jewish Council for the Aging in 1994.
included in the book Women of Achievement in Maryland History (2002). She was a recipient of the Elliot Niles
award from the B'nai B'rith and the Woman of Valor award in 1995. She was named Senior Volunteer of the Year
by the Jewish Council for the Aging in 1994.
Her activism far predated the 1990s. Her mother took the 5-year-old Luna with her to visit patients at St. Elizabeths Hospital, and
at age 9 she was a candy striper at Veterans Hospital. In a 1985 article in The Washington Post about the annual United Jewish
Appeal, she recalled that last year I raised . . . oh, I think it was $57,000. In 1985, she and her fellow volunteers racked up $3.64
million in pledges.
at age 9 she was a candy striper at Veterans Hospital. In a 1985 article in The Washington Post about the annual United Jewish
Appeal, she recalled that last year I raised . . . oh, I think it was $57,000. In 1985, she and her fellow volunteers racked up $3.64
million in pledges.
Mrs. Diamond received the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington's distinguished service award in 1986. She had
served as president of the Washington Section of the National Council of Jewish Women and as president of the Washington
Guitar Society.
served as president of the Washington Section of the National Council of Jewish Women and as president of the Washington
Guitar Society.
She was a former president of the Senate Secretaries Association.
A member of the Washington Hebrew Congregation, she helped establish Morgan David Sephardic Synagogue in Bethesda.
Her husband of 57 years, Norman Diamond, died in 1999. A daughter, Bonnie Diamond, died in 1979.
Survivors include two children, Monty Diamond of New York City and Sarah Diamond of Aspen, Colo.; and a grandson.