Lahna Faga Diskin

Lahna Faga Diskin lost her long battle with cancer on February 7, passing away peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and family.

Born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, Lahna was the daughter of the late Thomas and Betty Diskin and the sister of the late Clifford Diskin. From an early age, she developed a deep love of literature that would shape both her personal life and professional career.

She earned her BS in Education from Trenton State Teachers College, her MA in Literature from Middlebury College, and her PhD in English and Education from the University of Michigan. A passionate advocate for the liberal arts, she served as president of the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English and was, for many years, an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Lahna began her teaching career at the Alfred Reed School in Ewing Township, later teaching at Fisher Junior High School and Antheil Junior High School. She eventually joined the faculty of Trenton State College—now The College of New Jersey—where she served as Professor of English, Chair of the English Department, and Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, before retiring in 1999.

As a professor of English, Lahna specialized in teacher education, fiction, and modern poetry. Poetry, in particular, held a special place in her life; her own poems were published in several respected journals. Her work extended beyond the classroom as well. She served as co-editor of school resources for teenagers at Scholastic and co-edited two curricular units for Scholastic Book Services.

Her scholarly contributions also included significant work in the science fiction and fantasy genre. Under her own name, she published Theodore Sturgeon: A Primary and Secondary Bibliography (1980) and the Starmont House Theodore Sturgeon study guide (1981). From 1982 to 1985, she also served as a reviewer for Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review and Fantasy Review.

Beyond her academic life, Lahna loved classical music and surrealism in art and literature. She was also an avid and knowledgeable collector of antique porcelain and glass.

She is survived by her dearest friends and found family, Jonathan, Susan, and Annabelle Wiedorn, as well as her cousins.