Obituaries

William Lindley Diacon

Photo of William Lindley Diacon
William Lindley Diacon was born September 13, 1951, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to James Louis Diacon and Dorothy Ann Hoch Diacon. He passed away Sunday, September 10, 2017, at Circle of Life Legacy Village in Bentonville, Ark. At age 2, he moved to Wellington, Kansas, where he resided until graduating from Wellington High School in 1969. In 1965 he received his Eagle Scout award. He attended the University of Kansas from 1969-1973, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Microbiology. He received his medical doctorate degree from the University of Kansas in 1976. He was a diagnostic radiology resident at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas from 1976 through 1980, serving as chief resident from 1979-1980. Following completion of his residency, he moved to northwest Arkansas, where he was medical director of the mobile ultrasound laboratory that brought the first ultrasound services to Carroll, Madison, and Benton counties. He was a staff member of St. Mary's/Mercy hospital from 1980 until 2017, and was on the staff of Bates Hospital, Eureka Springs Hospital, Carroll General Hospital and Huntsville Hospital from 1980-1986. In 1989, he joined the Rogers Medical Center, where he continued to practice until 2017. In 1996, he was the medical director of the first ultrasound department in Arkansas to become accredited by the American Institute of Medicine (AIUM). In 2001, he was appointed to the Accreditation Council of the AIUM where he served until 2012. His last two years were as council chairman. He also served on the AIUM Clinical Standards committee. In 2010, he was elected a fellow in the AIUM. He was a member of the American Registry of Medical Sonography exam development task force, serving as a subject matter expert in Ob/Gyn ultrasound from 2004-2010. He was a frequent speaker at local, regional, and national ultrasound meetings, and published numerous articles on diagnostic ultrasound. While his practice was initially limited to diagnostic ultrasound, Dr. Diacon became interested in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. In 1999, he helped develop and became medical director of the osteoporosis diagnosis program for the Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas. In June of 2008, his DXA (osteoporosis diagnosis) practice was among the first 20 practices in the country to become an International Society of Clinical Densitometry accredited facilities. That same month, he was asked and accepted an invitation to become a member of ISCD's Commission on the Accreditation of Skeletal Assessment Facilities (CASAF). He was an avid gardener, loving to spend hours in the garden with his best friend, wife and lover, Glenda Diacon, whom he was blessed to marry in 1983. He did not particularly like to mow yards anymore. He has two talented and occasionally wonderful children, Kristen Danielle and Aaron Lindley, a beautiful and wise daughter-in-law, Rachel Leigh, and a strong and kind son-in-law, Blake Thomas McCollum. He is grandfather to the sometimes sweet and always adorable Della Mae McCollum and soon to be grandfather of the one we temporarily call "Goose" – Kristen is expecting. He was raised between the Methodist and Quaker Churches. His earliest memories are of his grandmother and great-uncle in contemplation at Quaker silent meetings. From 1972 through 1976 he studied with the Sikhs, where he was first exposed to meditative practice. From 1977 through 1981 he studied with Native Americans, including Wallace Black Elk, Mad Bear Anderson, and Phillip Deer, by whom he was deeply moved, and from whom he learned much. In 1990, he joined St. Theodore's Episcopal Church. In 2002, he began the Education for Ministry Program at St. Theodore's, which he completed in 2006. In 2010, he became a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, where he served on the vestry. He was trying to become devoted to Christian meditation and contemplation. He spent many wonderful hours with his spiritual advisor, Father Harold Strickland. He learned something new everyday. His service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, September 15, 2017 at First Christian Church in Bentonville, Arkansas. In lieu of flowers, and as Lin would have wanted, a charitable donation may be made to anyone in need at any time. Arrangements have been entrusted to Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services of Rogers. Words of comfort or memories may be shared at stockdalefuneral.com.

Published September 13, 2017

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