Nurse was honored for work at Camp Superkids
Diane Delores Jones, who died from ALS, exhibited love and strength whether caring for her five nieces and nephews, emergency room patients or children with asthma.

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: February 1, 2009 - 2:15 PM


Strength. Caring. Love. Faith. Those were the attributes that nurse Diane Delores Jones exhibited whether caring for her five nieces and nephews, emergency room patients or the children with asthma who attended a summer camp put on by the American Lung Association.

She also was fearless and showed determination and spunk as she battled Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - also called Lou Gehrig's disease - for 12 years, said her mother Delores, of Champlin.

Jones died Sunday at Mount Olivet Careview Center in Minneapolis from the disease that weakens and eventually destroys motor neurons, but she far surpassed the average life expectancy of those with ALS, which is 3 to 5 years, according to the ALS Association.

Jones, 56, of Minneapolis, spent many hours tending to patients in emergency rooms at Fairview and Minneapolis Children's hospitals. For 25 years, she took vacation time to volunteer as the head nurse at Camp Superkids, a summer camp for children ages 7 to 14 with asthma held in Loretto, Minn. She recruited doctors, respiratory therapists, nurses and pharmacists who also volunteered their time, said Penny Gottier Fena, executive director of the American Lung Association Minnesota chapter.

"She was very bright, very personable and the kind of leader people were loyal to, but most of all she was committed to those kids," Gottier Fena said. "I think some of the happiest times she had was there. We had a Superkids family and she was the linch pin for that."

Her efforts at Camp Superkids was recognized in 1999 when KARE-TV presented her with an Eleven Who Care award.

"I think Diane had 100 people there, doctors, nurses, camp associates, friends and family," said Jones' mother, Delores. "It was a really fabulous night."

Those who worked with her thought highly of her, too.

"She was smart, well-trained, thoughtful, conscientious, caring, professional and a competent leader," wrote Dr. Steven Weisberg, who worked with Jones at Camp Superkids.

Jones left her touch on her south Minneapolis neighborhood. She had a large garden of perennials and propagated plants and shared them with neighbors in the vicinity of 58th Street and Upton Av. S., said Jones' brother, David, of Spring Lake Park.

"I think it spread across south Minneapolis."

Jones liked to travel, liked Christmas and took her nephews and nieces to the annual holiday show on the eighth floor at Dayton's (now Macy's) in downtown Minneapolis. She rarely missed the State Fair, and on a typical year would go three times, David said.

"She was a State Fair devotee," he said. "She liked mini donuts and corn dogs. And she'd find a good bench and people watch."

Along with her mother and son, Jones is survived by another brother, Doug, of Andover.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, 50th Street and Knox Av. S., Minneapolis.



http://www.startribune.com/local/387...D3aPc:_Yyc:aUU