A Buffalo native who was a noted military officer and nurse passed away in recent days.
Diane Carlson Evans passed away May 20th in Montana at the age of 79 after a long and courageous battle against cancer.
Diane was born and raised on a dairy farm in Buffalo. She graduated from Buffalo High School, and studied nursing at St. Barnabas Hospital in Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota for her Registered Nurse degree.
She joined the Army Nurse Corps Student Program in 1966. Upon graduation in 1967, she was commissioned a second lieutenant and completed officer basic training. While serving as a medical-surgical nurse at Fort Lee, Virginia, she volunteered for service in Vietnam.
Her deployment began in the summer of 1968, for a one-year tour of duty as a surgical and burn nurse at the 36th Evacuation Hospital in Vung Tau, and head nurse in a surgical unit at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in the Central Highlands of Pleiku.
After returning home, she was promoted to Captain and assigned as head nurse in the surgical intensive care unit at Brooke Army Medical Center, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where she met her future husband, Dr. Michael Evans.
Diane is remembered for founding and leading the effort for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D-C. Dedicated in 1993, it was the first memorial in the United States to honor women in military uniform. In the decades after the establishment of the memorial, Diane served as an advocate for veterans nationally and close to home.
Diane’s book about her work with the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, “Healing Wounds: A Vietnam War Combat Nurse’s 10 Year Fight to Win Women a Place of Honor in Washington D.C.” earned her praise and national recognition. For her tireless efforts on behalf of women veterans, she was awarded the Presidential Citizen Medal.
In lieu of flowers, Diane’s family asks that you thank a veteran for their service, invite them to share their story if they wish, or consider donating to an organization serving veterans in your community.
A Celebration of Life for Diane Carlson Evans is being planned this fall in Helena, Montana.
