“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Mark Twain
Diana Kay Whealon (née Sorenson), 60, of Shawano, passed away on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2017, after a long, two-year battle with bile duct cancer.
Diana fought until the end and was surrounded by her husband Ed and her mother and father, Janis (née Worden) and Douglas Sorenson, along with her sisters, Tamara Leigh Oda, of Cedarburg, Vicki (Todd) Styka, of Manitowoc, and brother Derrick Sorenson, of Oconomowoc, at her childhood home in Cedarburg. Diana is finally pain free and embraced by our Lord, survived by her many nieces and nephews, and welcomed into heaven by her father-in-law Dr. Jack Whealon, grandparents Otis and Sylvia (née Peterson) Worden and others who went before her.
Diana and Ed met at UW-Platteville where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science and journalism. The two married on June 28, 1980. After graduation, they moved to Shawano, where Diana was employed by Midwest Breeders/CRI.
Anyone who was blessed to know Diana knew, in addition to adventuring with Ed, that dogs were her passion from an early age and into her adult life.
What began as a hobby with her first Weimaraner, Heidi, of learning the dog show circuit, turned into a career with Diana going onto win numerous American and Canadian championships and becoming a top national breeder of Weimaraners and English Mastiffs. Diana then turned those experiences into a successful business as owner of Complete Canine Care Center for the past 27 years in Shawano.
Diana was active not only in the local Shawano business community, but also as a member of the Oconto Yacht Club, Weimaraner Club of Wisconsin, Mastiff Club of America, Shawano County Humane Society, Navarino Nature Center, and Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce. For the past 30 years, Diana and Terry Bruno co-lead Precious Pooches, the Shawano County 4-H dog project.
After her cancer diagnosis in October 2015, Diana turned her energies into advocating for Organ Donation and Donate Life. Per her request, her body will be donated to the Medical College of Wisconsin so others may learn more about this type of cancer. Her husband Ed and family would like to especially thank Dr. Johnny Hong, Dr. Ben George, Dr. Kia Saeian, along with her cancer/transplant team at Froedtert Hospital and Heartland Hospice in Milwaukee.
Diana expressed her wishes for no visitation and a private family memorial service to be held at a later date. Diana’s family wishes to expresses gratitude to all who offered support over the last two years and especially the last couple of months. You will never be forgotten. Memorials in Diana’s name may be made to the Shawano County Humane Society or Donate Life Wisconsin at P.O. Box 1095, Madison, WI 53701.