Rebecca Diels

Diels, Rebecca J. MADISON - Rebecca J. Diels, age 28, passed away the morning of Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006, at University Hospital, Madison. She was born on April 7, 1978, to parents, Gary and Jeanette Diels. Rebecca lived with type I/ II SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) that challenged her physically, but not mentally. She did not require an able body to live life. In fact, Rebecca was currently attending college and taking courses in web design, and was well on her way to starting her own web design business. We remember Rebecca as a kind, compassionate, flirtatious young woman with a fiery spirit and a brilliant mind. She had a passion for the arts, poetry, writing, graphic design, music, theater and film. Beck had a great sense of humor, calling herself, "a tad sarcastic," and referring to her stomach tube as a "belly piercing." Rebecca had strong opinions and made it clear that she, and any other physically challenged person, deserved respect and the ability to make their own decisions about health care and daily living. Her hope was to educate the ignorant, she was disappointed in the lack of interest in Spinal Muscular Atrophy and went to great lengths to change this. Beck has dedicated the past several years of her life to connecting those afflicted with SMA by creating an SMA friends list that currently has more than 400 members. They now have a forum to, in her own words, "chat, laugh, learn, cry, relate, and help," which will continue forever in her memory. Beck also helped organize SMA fund raising events, and was vice president of the Wisconsin chapter of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Rebecca is survived by her mother, Jeanette; father, Gary; brother, Brian (Tiffany); sister, Diane; "sister," Tracy Jane; nephews, Jake, Josh and Aidan; nieces, Wynn and Paige; grandparents; best friends, Icelica, Phil and Toby; and many other friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her brother, Joseph; grandfathers, Reuben Diels and Stanley Soboleski; and her beloved pets, Penny and Cleo. Funeral services will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be at St. Michaels Cemetery, Beaver Dam, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 30, 2006. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Rebecca Diels Memorial Fund would be greatly appreciated. For more information on SMA, please visit www.fsma.org. Gunderson East Funeral and Cremation Centers 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420 www.gundersonfh.com