of Little Rock, AR
February 21, 1926 - January 5, 2017
Wilma Jeanne Canada Diner, MD was born January 21, 1926 in Hardy, KY to William Edward and Thelma May Canada. Her father operated the butcher store in the little coal mining town which hosted the Hatfields and the McCoys. Over the course of her early years, she moved several times across the river to West Virginia and back to Kentucky eventually graduating Salutatorian from Williamson West Virginia High School at the age of 16. She attended the University of Kentucky graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1946 with a BS in Medical Technology, Honors in Bacteriology and became a registered medical technologist with the American Society of Clinical Pathology. In 1950, she graduated from Duke University School of Medicine starting an internship, and completing residencies in Pathology and Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA as Chief Resident in 1954.
She met her husband, Jack Diner, in Boston at Mass General where they fell in love and followed him to Little Rock, AR and the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences campus where he was employed as a medical illustrator. She joined the Radiology Department at UAMS after Bradley Diner, her first child was born in 1956. Brad was shortly followed by his sister, Jan Hildebrandt in 1957, and brother, Jeffrey Diner in 1959.
Children on board, she continued her distinguished career (being the first to describe Cronkite Canada syndrome in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1955) achieving her professorship of Radiology and leading the Radiology Residents Program at UAMS as director until retiring in 1997. Many distinguished technical papers, presentations, honor societies and awards chronicled her career.
After retiring from medicine, she launched her second career as an educator of Hebrew students at Congregation B'Nai Israel and English as a second language in Little Rock.
She is remembered as an untiring advocate for education and lifelong learning who demonstrated her values through work and personal life. Her dedication to her faith and support for the underprivileged and those in need was evidenced through her many contributions throughout her life.
She is survived by her children, Bradley Diner, MD (Deborah), Jan Hildebrandt (Larry), and Jeff Diner (Theresa Green); her sister, Clarice McGrew; nieces: Leigh Ann Mountcastle, Amanda McGrew, and Jamie McGrew (Jerry); and grandchildren, Clint Russell (Deborah), Adam Russell, and Jackson Diner.
Memorial service will be held at Congregation B'Nai Israel, 3700 N. Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock on Sunday, January 8, 2017 at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wilma Diner Fund for Religious Education at Congregation B'Nai Israel or the Diner Learning Center in Radiology at UAMS.
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18 Condolence(s)
Tim McCowan, M.D.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Few have made such a profound impact on both her profession and the personal lives of those she touched as Wilma Diner. She made us better people and physicians. It was an honor and pleasure to have known her and have her as my teacher.
Hal Capps
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Sending light and love to Wilma and all of the Diner family. Much love from Kentucky to some of the absolute best people I've had the chance to be friends with for all of these years.
Martin Chilcote
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Brad, Jan, Jeff; my thoughts & prayers are with you in your time of loss. Peace be with you.
Gayla Whitt
Saturday, January 7, 2017
So sorry to hear of the loss of Dr Wilma Diner. She was one of the best radiologists I ever worked with and a knowledgeable and demanding instructor in the field. It was my privilege to work with her occasionally at LR VA from the 70s until her retirement. She made a difference.
Paul DiBello
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Clarice and family,
We are very sorry for your loss. What an amazing lady who lived an amazing life - giving back all along the way!! Prayers are with you and your family. Love, Paul, Dean and Dylan DiBello
Joe Flaherty
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Doctor Diner was a leading force in the Nationally recognized and often replicated Our House Homeless shelter and training program in Little Rock. Doctor Diner was always available to me for support and encouragement in developing the program, her wise council enabled me and those who succeeded me to serve our fellow citizens reenter productive society. She will be missed by anybody who had the good fortune to know her. May she rest in peace.
Joe Flaherty
Founding Director, Our House Inc.
Claudine Waters
Saturday, January 7, 2017
My sincere sympathy.
Claudine Waters
Redwood Building, Parkway Village
Little Rock
Greg Stephens. MD
Friday, January 6, 2017
My condolences to Dr. Brad Diner and the entire family during this time of loss.
Beverly Dreher, MD
Friday, January 6, 2017
She was a great teacher and responsible for my choice to persue a radioiology subspecialty career in Breast Imaging. God bless.
Eddie and Terry Angtuaco
Friday, January 6, 2017
We will always cherish the 37 years that we were privileged to share with Wilma as a colleague at UAMS, as our mentor, our role model and most important of all, as our friend. She has influenced so many radiologists not only with her dedication to teaching but by setting an example of how we should live our lives as professionals. Outside of work, she has inspired us to be better individuals by sharing her philosophy regarding family and community. As we celebrate her life, her memory will live with us forever. Thank you for sharing her with us.
Dorothy Kelley
Friday, January 6, 2017
She made me a better radiographer.
Susan Garrett
Friday, January 6, 2017
Dr. DIner was a valued member of the Little Rock Athletic Club for many years. She was very consistent in her swimming workouts. There is still a pass for her at the front desk just in case she was able to return to the pool. I admired Dr. DIner for paving the way for more women to enter the medical field. Please accept my sincere condolences.
Susan Garrett- LRAC
David Hays
Friday, January 6, 2017
Thank you so much for your gift of teaching us . We can never repay the debt, but I do strive for the excellence that you embodied.
Emilio
Friday, January 6, 2017
Please accept my sincere condolences during this time of grief. My hope is that the words of Christ Jesus be of comfort, when he stated that "the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out" (John 5: 28, 29). We can also take comfort in God's personal promise to "wipe out every tear" and that soon, even "death will be no more" (Revelation 21: 4).
Chuck Nash, MD, PhD
Friday, January 6, 2017
Many years of fond memories of a great and gentle lady
Mark Gottlieb
Friday, January 6, 2017
Sorry for your loss.
Tom Conley
Friday, January 6, 2017
Condolences
Scott and Leslie Bailey
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Although Dr. Diner was widely recognized as a true pioneer in the field of radiology, I knew her also as a loving and caring mother to Brad, Jan, and Jeff. Heartfelt condolences to a wonderful family.