Diana McMakin Dodson

Diana McMakin Dodson passed away unexpectedly from a massive stroke (brain aneurysm) on Sunday September 22, 2019 at George Washington University Hospital. Surviving are her husband Drake, daughters Elizabeth and Jessica, stepson Logan, mother and stepfather Sandra and Donald Ellington, sister Martha McMakin (Joe), stepsister Diane Blantz (Greg), half-brother Michael McMakin, Jr. (Barbara) and three nephews (Wesley, Jonathan, and Andrew McMakin). Diana was predeceased by her father and stepmother Michael and Linda McMakin and her beloved grandparents Edward and Helen Garnett. Diana loved animals and was nursing her precious 13-year-old kitty, Smokey, through more than five years of chemotherapy for cancer.

Diana Elizabeth McMakin was born July 5, 1966 at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado while her father was in the Air Force. She attended a number of elementary and middle schools before her mother settled her and older sister in Farmville, Virginia to be near grandparents.

Diana attended the Prince Edward Academy where she played basketball and graduated as co-Valedictorian. She graduated with distinction from The University of Virginia in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. In 1998 she earned her Master of Science in Software Engineering Administration from Central Michigan University.

Diana has worked for the Department of Defense in software engineering and project management for the past 24 years. Prior to this, Diana worked for several years in Northern Virginia and Maryland in software development, consulting and management with Andersen Consulting and Hechinger Stores Company.

Diana married Drake Dodson in January 1999 and in March 2000 they welcomed their first daughter, Elizabeth. Their second daughter, Jessica  was born in July 2002. From then on Diana’s focus was her daughters. As soon as they were old enough, they began Tae Kwon Do (TKD) which continued until both girls attained Black Belt degrees. Diana and Drake were also involved to the point that Drake now trains TKD students and Diana did Kick Boxing. As the girls got older there were school trips and orchestra trips, many of which needed chaperones; Diana always stepped up to volunteer. In support of her daughters, she coached basketball through the Crofton Athletic Council and worked tirelessly supporting and mentoring the Power Hawks Robotics team. Diana was extremely proud of her daughters. Elizabeth is a second-year engineering student at the University of Maryland and Jessica is a senior at South River High School.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the ALS association or an animal charity. Family will receive friends on Friday, October 4, 2019 from 6pm to 8pm at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rt 3 South), Bowie, MD. There will be a service for Diana on October 12, 2019 at 1pm at the Christian Community Presbyterian Church in Bowie.

Diana supported several charities, please consider making a donation, in her name, to one of these charities: