Diane Ney

Diane Ney passed away on February 13, 2026, in Vienna, VA. She is survived by her loving brother, Casey, and numerous cousins and friends who share in this loss. She was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, on October 8, 1949. Her father, Kenneth, was a naval officer and pilot, and her mother, Dorothy, raised and nurtured the two children wherever he was stationed.

Because her father was in the Navy, Diane moved coast to coast as a child. She was in grammar school in both Virginia and San Diego, California, and came back to the D.C. area to attend Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. She majored in English and Theater at Iowa State University and graduated in 1971.

Diane worked as a writer and editor at various locations in the metro region, but her main focus was setting her playwriting hopes in motion. An early play, “Eulogy”, was produced locally, launching her path as an award-winning, recognized playwright with several works staged in regional theaters across the country.

Her biggest writing success was a radio drama, “Truckin’ Maggie”, winning a worldwide playwriting contest and produced by the BBC. This gave Diane the opportunity to travel to London, her favorite overseas destination (along with Ireland). She also wrote theater reviews for Plays International, a magazine covering both British and American productions. She especially enjoyed interviewing the directors and performers.

In the 1990’s, Diane joined the Archives Department at the Washington National Cathedral as a volunteer. She loved the research study and historical aspect of the work, and was soon a full time employee in the department. In 2012 she was promoted to the position of Head Archivist (a role she cherished and loved). And, at this time, she earned a Masters Degree in Medieval Studies from Georgetown University.

In 2009, Diane developed a serious medical condition resulting in many brain tumor operations and procedures. These unfortunately took a toll on her health, although she always remained upbeat, bouncing back from each situation with spirit and fortitude. During this time, aside from her fulltime job at the Cathedral, she continued writing and was a contributor to the Barnes and Noble historical book series.

She lives in Glover Park area of D.C. for over fifty years, allowing her the opportunity to walk daily to her job at the Cathedral (even in the snow and rain!). And as an avid walker, she enjoyed exercising her legs up and down the boardwalk and beaches at Rehoboth where she vacationed with her family for over fourty years. Diane will be missed by all who knew her. She was truly a very kind, loving, and generous person.