Biography: Diane Stoakes Mackey was born in Luverne, Minnesota on March 28, 1937, daughter of Homer and Astrid Stoakes. She grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and moved to Little Rock in 1965. Diane died the afternoon of Sunday, December 15, 2013 of complications following cancer surgery. Diane graduated first in her class from Northwestern University in 1958 and she was chosen that year by the National Pi Beta Phi as the outstanding Pi Beta Phi graduate. After 14 years of raising children and volunteering in the community, she returned to school to follow her dream of becoming a lawyer, attended UALR Law School, and graduated first in her class in 1978. Diane served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Eisele and continued her public service as Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas from 1980 to 1983. As an AUSA she was responsible for both criminal and civil cases until she was named to be part of a special unit related to civil rights lawsuits. She joined Friday, Eldredge & Clark in 1983, rose to become partner, and retired from the firm in 2006. She covered many areas of the law, but she had a special love for health and environmental law. During her tenure at the Friday firm, she also served as Adjunct Professor at UALR School of Law from 1996-2004. She was listed in Best Lawyers of America for ten years in a row; she served as Special Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, and was a member of American Law Institute. Diane was passionate about teaching. She began as an English teacher in Ohio and culminated her teaching as Assistant Dean for Institutional and Organizational Affairs at the UAMS College of Public Health. In that position she founded and was Director of the dual degree JD/MPH Program at UAMS College of Public Health and UALR School of Law. Diane never stopped volunteering and working to make our community a better place managing to help all of us achieve great things. Indeed, her achievements are too numerous to list them all, but there are a few that must be mentioned. Diane started volunteering in Little Rock when she became active in the Museum of Science and History. She was the first educational director at the museum and she was instrumental in the museum's lending box program. Diane was very involved in the Junior League, including the development of Pulaski County Council on Aging. She was a member of Rotary - Little Rock Club 99, where she was a Paul Harris Fellow and gladly delivered dictionaries to Third Graders. Throughout her life, Diane championed health issues, especially at the Arkansas Children's Hospital where she started volunteering in the Auxiliary in 1969 and served in various positions on the ACH Board from 1980 until the time of her death, including from 1991-1994 when she was the first woman Chair of the Board. She cherished every aspect of the work she was able to do at ACH and all of the people she worked with there. She was a founder, member, and on the Board of Trustees for the Good Shepherd Ecumenical Retirement Center, serving as President of the Board in the 1970s. She served on the Arkansas Hospice Executive Committee, and recently served on the United Way Board including co-chair of Strategic Planning, Chair of Nominating Committee, and Chair of the Board. She was also Chair of Life Quest, and involved in Scattered Seeds Garden Club. Diane was active in the arts including the Arkansas Orchestra Society, the Aesthetic Club, and being President of the Fine Arts Club at the Arkansas Arts Center in the 1970s. Her faith was central to her life. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where she taught Sunday school, was elected to the Vestry, served as Senior Warden, and engaged in various roles for the diocese over the years. She even contributed to the music of the church through securing horns in the Cathedral and by serving as a camp cook during the first Choir Camp session at Camp Mitchell. Diane leaves behind a family that loved and cherished her deeply. She is survived by her son Ben Mackey, his wife Beth, and children James and Katherine; son Stuart Mackey, his wife Suzanne, and children Emily Claire and Stuart, Jr.; daughter Sarah Mackey; her sister Sharon Stoakes Tatham; sister-in-law Mary Frances Phillips; and many nieces and nephews. Diane touched many lives during her life; she was rich in friends across Arkansas and around the country. Visitation will be held Friday evening, December 20, at Ruebel Funeral Home from 5:00 to 7:00. A memorial service will be held Saturday morning at 10:30 at Trinity. In lieu of flowers, Diane asks that donations be made to Arkansas Children's Hospital, Arkansas Hospice, and United Way. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com