Sen. Nangle releases statement on the passing of former Sen. Bill Diamond

AUGUSTA — Sen. Tim Nangle, D-Windham, released the following statement after the passing of former Sen. Bill Diamond, a widely respected public servant and child welfare advocate:

“I am heartbroken to learn of Bill Diamond’s passing.

“Bill was a lifelong public servant whose impact on Maine spanned generations. He was a teacher, a legislator and Secretary of State — but above all, he was a relentless advocate for Maine’s children. Through his nonprofit Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, he continued that work with determination and heart, shining a light on the urgent need to protect kids in state care.

“Here in Windham and across the Lakes Region, Bill will always be remembered as a neighbor who led with kindness, courage and conviction. His legacy lives on in the policies he shaped and the people he fought to protect.

“My thoughts are with his wife Jane, his family and everyone mourning his loss. Maine is better because Bill Diamond never stopped fighting for what was right,” said Sen. Nangle.

Diamond was a lifelong public servant, educator, and advocate who represented Windham and surrounding communities in the Legislature for decades. He served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1977 to 1982, as Maine’s Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997 and in the Maine Senate across multiple terms between 1982 and 2022. A former teacher, principal and superintendent in the Windham and Raymond school systems, Diamond also owned and operated several small businesses. In 2023, he founded Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and supporting reform efforts within Maine’s child welfare system.

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