Obituary of Diane Louise Ferris

Diane Louise Ferris, aged 79, of Saint Petersburg, FL, passed away on March 12, 2024. She was born on May 11, 1944, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Diane is survived by her sister, Judy Ferris DeRosier, her brother, James Ferris, her nephew Leo Christopher DeRosier (Rebecca), her niece Gina DeRosier Greenwald (Michael), her nephew Patrick Wilson, and her great nephews and nieces Jack, Grier, Harper, Griffin, and Leo. She is preceded in death by her father, James Ferris, her mother, Louise Rossie Ferris, her sister Carole Ferris Wilson, brother-in-law Stephen Wilson, and brother-in-law Leo Joseph DeRosier.

Diane joined the staff at Eckerd College in 1986 after graduating from the Program for Experienced Learners (PEL) where she earned her B.A. in business administration. While working for Eckerd College as the Coordinator for Student Services, she also earned her master’s degree in Adult Education from the University of South Florida. In this position, Diane provided support to the students, admissions counselors and financial aid counselors at Eckerd College. In 1996, Diane was appointed as the Coordinator of Overseas Programs in the Office of International Education at Eckerd. The following year she became the Director of the Office of International Education where she served until her retirement in 2021. When Diane joined the Office of International Education in 1996, only 42 percent of students participated in study abroad. Under her leadership, that number increased to over 80 percent. Diane received the Susan Armacost Medal, an Eckerd College Alumni Award of Excellence for service to the community in 1995 for her volunteerism. 

Outside of work, Diane was passionate about serving the greater community. She has served as a board member and officer of Project Rainbow, a non-profit organization serving chronically and terminally ill children and their families in Pinellas County, where she raised over $25,000 through fundraising efforts including an annual Lebanese dinner and a Christmas giving project at Eckerd College.

A ceremony to honor and remember Diane's life will be held at Eckerd College, Fox Hall, on April 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to two funds established in Diane's memory at Eckerd College: the Diane Ferris '86 Endowment for London Study Centre and the Diane Ferris '86 Annual Scholarship for Study Abroad: https://www.eckerd.edu/ferris/.