Diana Waterman, who chaired the Maryland Republican Party during its most successful election a decade ago, died Oct. 17 after losing a long fight with cancer. She was 63.
“Under her leadership, the 2014 election saw historic victories for Republicans,” recalled former delegate Joe Cluster, whom she hired as executive director of the state party. “Larry Hogan was elected governor, two additional Republicans were elected to the state Senate, seven to the House of Delegates, and over 50 Republicans won local offices,” including county executives in Anner Arundel and Howard counties.
‘It was one of the most successful elections for the GOP in modern Maryland history,” Cluster said in a letter to The Sun. That election brought the largest number of elected Republicans at the State House.
When Waterman took over as chair of the party in February 2013, the party was in financial straits, with $150,000 in debt and just $10,000 in cash. By the end of her tenure in 2017, the party had $250,000 in cash and no debt.
“Diana was a force in Maryland politics and an indomitable woman,” said the Maryland Republican Party on X. “She rebuilt our organization and lead us to historic election victories in 2014. In her time as president of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women, she served as a mentor to countless conservatives who will be the next generation of Maryland Republican leaders.”
Her early death brought sadness and praise from many Republicans, who called her “an unflappable leader” and “a trailblazer.”
Diana was the chief financial officer for Waterman Realty on Kent Island. She grew up in Virginia Beach. She met her husband, Barry, while getting her bachelor’s degree in math and physics at Sweet Briar College in Amherst, Virginia. They were married in 1985 and have two children – Kevin and Caty.
Together they grew the real estate company started by Barry’s father.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 2-4 and 6-8 at the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newman funeral home in Centreville. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Centreville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Diana Waterman Scholarship Fund. The fund will offer an annual scholarship to a college bound young woman from Queen Anne’s County planning to study political science, with the intent to bring people together for the greater good.
The address is the Diana Waterman Scholarship, c/o Chesapeake Charities, 101 Log Canoe Circle, Ste O, Stevensville, MD? 21666
[https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2155]
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