A champion of standards, Ms. Diesslin was a highly engaged member of the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 222, Personal financial planning. She acted as the TAG's key liaison within the management team of the TAG administrator, Diesslin & Associates, a financial planning firm in Fort Worth, Texas.
"Deena was an energizing and memorable teammate throughout the decade-long history of our TAG," said Peter Lefferts, chair of the U.S. TAG to ISO TC 222. "I could sense Deena's belief in the life-improving benefits that professional financial planning could bring consumers."
Ms. Diesslin served in several roles in the U.S. TAG to ISO TC 222, as a technical expert in ISO work groups, a voting TAG member, and a key leader in the work of the U.S. TAG administrator. She was also active in the U.S. delegation in London in 2005, when ISO TC 222 approved the final draft document that became ISO 22222, Personal financial planning -- Requirements for personal financial planners.
Ms. Diesslin earned her bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Oakland University. She went on to earn a master's degree in social work from St. Louis University and advanced education in psychology.
Her passion for investing in the lives of others was seen vividly in her choices of service. In addition to her contributions to the standards community, Ms. Diesslin served on the Arlington's Women's Shelter Board of Directors for the last ten years, and was member of the Arlington Girls Club Board of Directors, the Junior League, and a volunteer with the Support Connection for women recently diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer.
Ms. Diesslin is survived by her husband, David Diesslin, her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Morton Heide, and many friends.
A funeral service was held on Friday, March 4, in Brown, Owens & Brumley's Joe B. Brown Memorial Chapel in Fort Worth, Texas. Further obituary information is available here.