Diana Lee Fox

"There are two ways of spreading light – to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it" – Edith Wharton

A beautiful warm light was hidden from us on Wednesday, when Diana fell asleep – comfortable and confident in her hope in the resurrection. We all knew her as a well-polished mirror that reflected the light she had received from Christ, and amplified the love that was showered on her by everyone who spent time with her.

Diana's light broke into the world on a cold November day in 1932, the second of 5 children. She was baptized in the Episcopal Church in the baptismal gown that had been used in the family for many years.

Diana was a genius - but even though her college notebooks still exist that show her prowess in biochemistry and mathematics, her main love was the English language. Her favorite and most-described period of her college career is when she moved to Vienna for a year. She lived with a local family, which gave her two opportunities - to become fluent in German and also receive daily doses of her most-loved beverage - Kaffe mit Schlag.

Diana graduated with a BA in English from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1952 at the age of 19. Her first employment was for United Airlines, which had Chicago as its main hub. She was a desk agent at the time, and would tell of the amazing complexities of taking and verifying reservations, preparing passenger manifestos and keeping track of luggage – all on paper. It's amazing that airlines operated before computers! In her daily duties of making the airlines fly, she met a young baggage handler by the name of Jim Fox. The two fell in love and were married in Chicago in May of 1962, and Diana was selected as Bride's Magazine's bride of the year.

Jim moved up the ranks at United to become a manager of catering operations, back when airlines managed their own kitchens and catered all of their flights. His job took him to Las Vegas, where their first son, William Nelson was born in 1966 following one still-birth. Her second son, Robert Allan was born just 15 months later in 1967. Both sons were baptized in the same baptismal gown that their mother and so many family members were united in wearing.

Following her divorce in 1974, Diana started a career of working for several travel agencies. She was annoyed about having to learn how to work with the new gadgets that they called "computers".

Diana made incredible sacrifices to take care of her children as a single mom. Her never-failing prayers are undoubtedly the reason that her children are still alive to this day.

In the late 70's, she became deeply involved with the Cursillo/Kairos movement, a revival movement within the Episcopal Church. Her devotion to God and her church flourished, giving her renewed joy and the ability to withstand all of life's trials. Following her re-commitment to Jesus Christ, she was never again seen despairing or worrying. She became the beacon of love and light that we all know that never faded in the remainder of her 93 years on the earth. She lived a joy that did not depend on circumstances and a love that demanded nothing in return. Her life became a sermon and witness that could never be written or preached, but was lived beautifully.

At the time of the Covid pandemic, at the age 88, Diana's balance began to be a problem, and she had great difficulty living alone. For her son Bob, this became a beautiful opportunity to take her to Santa Barbara to live in his home.

Diana loved everything about life and saw beauty everywhere – she was excited about every meal and every phone call. She loved her family, she loved Chicago, and she was overjoyed to see her Cubbies win the World Series! She was a perfectionist, and she categorized and labelled everything in her life with great detail. She is remembered by her family as the one who wrapped the most ornately beautiful presents at Christmas. She took gift-giving very seriously - she was always thinking about everyone else, and what gifts she could give them. When she left Las Vegas, one entire room of her apartments was filled with gifts and cards, all labelled with recipients and they date they should be sent, even years in advance. Her only sorrow about being confined to a home was that she couldn't go out and buy gifts for other people (and snacks for herself at Trader Joe's).

When she could no longer live at home, she went to live at Mission Park Healthcare and made a new set of friends. Whether at the home or at the hospital, every nurse held Diana as their favorite patient, because she was always a joy to visit. She lived there for two years until her body started giving out, and she passed away on Hospice at Serenity House on February 18th, 2025 – Ash Wednesday. She was physically beautiful to the end – and the nurses were amazed that her 93-year-old skin was so radiant. She is survived by her youngest sister Carla, her sons, 4 grandchildren, and scores of people who adored her.

If you tried to ask her about the things she loved best: she might say autumn colors, sunflowers, butterflies, or watching the hummingbirds outside of her window - but it would soon become clear that she loved everything that was full of life – and they all gave her incredible opportunities to give thanks to God, which was her favorite pastime. We know that same merciful God is now granting her rest. It is comforting to know that she is now in a place where there is no more pain, only abundant life, joy and light. She must be beside herself….

'Death is not extinguishing the light it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.' -- Rabindranath Tagore.

Rest well, Diana.

There will be a viewing and short service on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel, 15 East Sola Street.

The Funeral Service will take place on Tuesday, March 3rd at 10AM at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1500 State Street.