Sister Dianna Ortiz

Sister Dianna Ortiz, 62, an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph for 43 years, died Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Washington, D.C., after a brave battle with cancer. She was raised in Grants.

Sister Dianna called on God to help her survive a traumatic event in her life to become an advocate for torture victims worldwide.

After teaching school in Kentucky for four years, in 1987 she began mission work with Mayan children in Guatemala. While there she was abducted by government forces and tortured. After much prayer and counseling, she became a grassroots organizer for the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission in Washington, D.C. (1994- 2000). In 1998, she founded the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) International in Washington, to advocate for the abolition of torture and to support its victims. She served in Washington since that time, most recently as deputy director of Pax Christi USA.

Survivors include the members of her religious community; her mother Amby Ortiz of Grants; sisters Barbara Murrietta of Grants and Michelle Salazar of San Mateo; brothers Ronald Ortiz, Pilar Ortiz Jr., John Ortiz and Joshua Ortiz, all of Grants; nieces and nephews.

Due to health and safety concerns, the wake service at 6:30 p.m. Sunday and the funeral at 10:30 a.m. Monday will be private.

Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Owensboro, is handling arrangements.

Donations in memory of name may be made to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356.