Funeral services were held last Friday for Stanley Diamond, the groundbreaking researcher in genealogy, who passed away suddenly at the age of 91.
Two leaky heart valves had been discovered 38 years after his first brush with heart issues. “We only found out it was inoperable on the Monday afternoon and he was gone 36 hours later,” said daughter Jessika. “He stuck around long enough to have us all gather to say goodbye, which was a blessing.”
A successful businessman, in 1995 Diamond established the Jewish Records Indexing – Poland, a searchable online database. His commitment to uncovering family histories obscured by war and upheaval paved the way for countless people of European Jewish ancestry to trace their roots and track down surviving relatives.
Montreal author Amy Fish has been working on Diamond’s memoirs for the past six years. “I am heartbroken that he did not live to hold the book in his hands, and at the same time grateful that he trusted me to document his legacy,” she said.
Diamond is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ruth, three daughters and four grandchildren.