Diane Codding, 39, of Santa Rosa, California, lost her life in the line of duty on December 23, 2003. She was one of three crewmembers involved in a fatal helicopter accident in the mountainous terrain of northern California.<br />
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After earning her nursing degree, Diane worked 12 years at Sutter Medical Center, Santa Rosa, in the ICU and ER. Excelling in trauma, she then sought a position with REACH. "She had a God-given talent that few have of managing trauma in a stressful environment, and she felt it her duty to use this talent for the service of the community working with the most critical cases, which meant working for REACH. We also viewed her service as a way to give back to the community a gift that our family had received many years ago when my mother had to be transported by helicopter from a bad car accident. She loved her work and knowing that it made a difference in others' lives," said her husband, John Codding.<br />
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In addition to her professional life, she was a wonderful wife and mother of 3 ? Joshua, 14, Elisha, 11, and Jordan, 7. She spent a great deal of time helping with school functions and attending the children's various events. She was also very active with her volunteer time, raising puppies for a national dog assistance program for the disabled. In her youth, she was ranked 9th nationally for high school cross country and held the Santa Rosa Junior College 800M record for many years.<br />
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Honored 2009 |