Diana Friedland

Diana Friedland
Sheldon, Iowa
Memorial services for Diana Friedland, age 50, of New York City, New York and formerly of Sheldon, Iowa, who passed away on Friday, January 21, 2011 at her residence in New York. Her services will be Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 1:00pm at the United Methodist Church in Sheldon with the Rev. Marvin Lindley ~ Officiating.
Burial will be in the East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon, Iowa.
There will be No Visitation.
The Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon is in Charge of Arrangements.
Online memorial condolences may be sent to: vanderploegfunerals.com
Arrangements under the care of Vander Ploeg Funeral Home of Sheldon, Iowa.
Diana Friedland, the daughter of Douglas C. and Frances (Bignall) Friedland was born August 25, 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa. She attended school in Sioux City and later moved to Sheldon, Iowa where she graduated from the Sheldon High School in 1978. She attended Modeling School in Omaha, Nebraska and later moved to New York City. She worked at the prestigious restaurant, The Quilted Giraffe as a Sommelier. Diana later earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry at Hunter College, City University of New York. She was awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Fellowship for graduate research. She was one of 50 students nationwide from several hundred applicants to win this honor. As a first year graduate student at Hunter College, she was awarded a Gertrude Elion Scholarship. Elion was one of two women alumnae of Hunter College to win a Nobel Prize. After earning her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Hunter College, she became a faculty member at John Jay College, City University of New York. There she earned tenure, became an associate professor, served on many committees, and won a National Science Foundation Research grant to study Pokeweed, a common plant that produces an antiviral protein allowing plants to fend off viruses. Diana passed away on Friday, January 21, 2011 at her residence in New York City reaching the age of 50 years, 4 months and 27 days.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church. When she was younger she enjoyed playing basketball, back packing with her dad and brother. She also loved to travel.
Diana is survived by her husband, Sebastian McClindon of Brooklyn, New York; a brother, Bradford Friedland of Sheldon; a stepmother, Doris Friedland of Sheldon; and Doris’ children, Bill and his wife, Kathy Roberts of Edgerton, Missouri; Dan Roberts of Fremont, Nebraska; Carl and his wife, Jan Roberts of Atkinson, Nebraska; and seven nieces and nephews, Kelly, Elizabeth, Megan, Alec, Ashley, Shawn and Travis; four great-nieces, Monica, Rebecca, Courtney and Emily; uncle, Kent; and an uncle and aunt, Allen and Joyce Seymour; a special friend, Pamela Wingert; also other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her beloved first husband, Michael Cohen; her parents, Douglas and Frances Friedland; a sister, Susan Elaine Friedland; and an aunt, Janice Craun.