In Memoriam 1992-1997/Dianne Stogre Power
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DIANNE STOGRE POWER 19454995
We are profoundly distressed to learn of the passing of Ms. Dianne Stogre Power, who rendered highly meritorious services to the Faith as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand for many years, and as an experienced and talented contributor to proclamation endeavours. Kindly convey to her family and friends our condolences, and the assurance ofour prayers on
her behalfin the Holy Shrines.
Universal House ofjustice October 31, 1995
Dianne Stogre Power’s sudden passing in the early hours of Saturday,
October 28, 1995, came as a great shock to her family, the Bahá’í Community, her friends and colleagues, as well as to the believers at the Bahá’í World Centre who were expecting her there within a few days to take up an administrative appointment.
The Circumstances surrounding her untimely passing are tragic, mysterious, and yet beautiful. While attending her farewell party in Wellington, in the presence offamily and many friends, she suffered a massive brain hemorrhage and died peacefully in hospital a few hours later surrounded by her loved ones. She had very tidily closed the Chapter on one era of her life and was awaiting the opening of the next. She had completed her work for Radio New Zealand and for the New Zealand Bahá’í community, had said her goodbyes, and had prepared everyone for her departure. She was always one for ensuring everything was done well.
As in life, so in death, her funeral was testimony to her extraordinary capacity to foster warm relationships with people
Dianne Stag]? Power
from all walks oflife. Admiring, respectful tributes flowed from representatives of government, Radio New Zealand, the Chinese Friendship Association, UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), Maori people, and representatives of people with disabilities, youth, and children. Her funeral service was held on a Maori mame (sacred place) in Wellington in accordance with her wishes and with special permission granted by the local Maori—an honor usually reserved for their own tribesmen.
Dianne was born on April 10, 1945, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She first heard about the Faith at the age of seventeen from the owners ofa local bookshop Who were Bahá’í pioneers. In 1967 she moved to Toronto and became a Bahá’í there in June of that year. Dianne pioneered first to St. John’s, Newfoundland, a Canadian homefront goal, and later to the islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon, a French possession off the Newfoundland coast.
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In 1972, after marrying, she moved to the Solomon Islands, having spent six months traveling teaching in Fiji. After a year in the Solomon Islands, illness forced Dianne and her husband to find a more temperate climate. New Zealand was close by and needed pioneers.
Dianne’s entire Bahá’í life might be summed up by the word “pioneer.” In all her undertakings in service to her beloved Cause, her valiant pioneer spirit challenged her to new heights of creativity, to an openminded exploration of ideas, and to the courageous seizure of opportunities. She encouraged others and applied the Bahá’í writings as the unyielding measure to all that she undertook, and with a strong sense of the practical she managed to find a balance.
This pioneer spirit influenced Dianne’s work as a broadcaster and senior producer with Radio New Zealand. She seized opportunities to produce radio programs about the Faith, including a three—part series on Baha’u’llah during the Holy Year. Dianne believed her profession was synonymous With worship, and drawing on the principles enunciated in 7796 Secret of Divine Civilization, she produced dozens of educational programs for adults and children—programs which brought a wide range ofconttoversial social issues to public attention in an entirely new way and particularly addressed the well—being of women, children, and the disabled. Dianne was awarded the 1985 Media Peace Prize for Radio as coproducer of the program “The History of Peacemaking in New Zealand.” In 1994 she received a Winston Churchill Fellowship for her study of public radio’s response to the linguistic and cultural needs of indigenous people in Fiji, Hawaii, and British Columbia.
Before her passing Dianne represented UNIFEM on a tour of the Pacific islands
THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
made by the Minister ofExternal Relations and Trade—a wonderful opportunity to develop contacts for the Faith. She completed meticulous and comprehensive reports of this trip for UNIFEM and the National Spiritual Assembly just two weeks before she died. As one person noted:
Dianne was steadfast; there is no doubt about it. She never took a holiday from the Faith. She seemed to know that it was important to make efforts every day for the Faith. Her journals are full of her personal goals. When a plan would come out, she would make her own plan to fit in with the worldwide plan. She made great plans and saw no reason why they couldn’t be accomplished.
During the mid to late 19805, when the National Spiritual Assembly undertook delicate negotiations with the New Zealand government to sponsor hundreds of Bahá’í refugees from Iran, Dianne’s untiring work in fostering cordial relations within diplomatic and government circles proved to be crucial. Likewise her highly respected work with national radio greatly assisted the Faith in New Zealand in gaining prominence and prestige in the eyes of the public and with people of influence. Such was her unique ability to integrate her Bahá’í service with involvement in the wider life of society. A visionary, she worked diligently to encourage Bahá’ís to strive in areas of proclamation and public relations. Her own fine example is her legacy to the New Zealand Bahá’í community.
Dianne made it clear that she drew her inspiration for her extensive public relations work from two sources: first from the beloved Guardian of the Faith, whose model and methods she cited often, and second from Martha Root, whose life and example she studied assiduously.
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997
Dianne was always seeking opportunities to teach, but she also took time to equip herself for the task. She learned the Maori language so that she could better reach Maori people. She took up Chinese studies to prepare herself for China, and she took courses on public speaking and bilingual education.
Dianne was a founding member of three Local Spiritual Assemblies: St. Johns, Newfoundland, and Lower Hurt and Hutt Valley in New Zealand. In New Zealand she sewed on the National Teaching Committee, the first Public Relations Committee, and the first Bahá’í Advisory Committee. She was the Bahá’í International Community Officer for United Nations matters and the Bahá’í' representative on the commission for the International Year of the Child. In 1981 she was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of New Zealand and served until 1989, twice as its chairman.
Dianne’s heart had a huge capacity for love which endeared her to others. Her notes of encouragement, praise, and love, often beginning “Dear heart," are treasured by many. As one friend gave tribute:
It was from Dianne’s lips that I first heard the word Bahá’í, and it was she who, with deep sensitivity, patience and understanding, allowed my youthful spirit to find its way to the Cause of God. There were many challenges and difficulties in that period of search, but her kind heart, her loving attention, her capacity to listen to some very odd ideas, and her constancy in friendship drew this youth over a rocky and uncertain path into the community of Friends.
From an article suhmitted by 7716 National Spiritual Attembly Oft/76 Balad’z’s afNew Zealand
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