Diane Ativie

Diane (Smith) Ativie was born on November 9th, 1958 in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood and was raised in the formerly Ida B. Wells Housing Projects; she was the third of six children to Anna and Frank Smith Sr. Diane graduated from the James R. Doolittle Elementary School in 1972 and Wendell Phillips Academy in 1976. She eventually attended Illinois State University for two years before completing her bachelor's degrees in social work and education at Loyola University - Chicago in 1983. Diane also earned a master's degree in social work at the University of Chicago in 1989.
Diane started her career in social work as an assistant for Children's Home & Aid and a mental health counselor for Thresholds from 1983 through 1989. She later became a social worker who handled cases regarding foster care and adoption for the Children's Home & Aid. In 1993, Diane worked for Kindred Healthcare (formerly Vencor Chicago North and Lincoln West Hospital) as an inpatient psychiatry and medical social worker for two years. She devoted most of her time as a coordinator of protective services, medical, and an outpatient and inpatient case manager for Endeavor Evanston Hospital for 25 years from 1995 to 2021. Diane's last role in the social work field was with the Centene Corporation as a care manager which ended in 2024.
Diane was very active in the Presbyterian congregation. She was a choir member and an exceptional singer for Evanshire Presbyterian Church and St. Paul AME Church.
Diane sadly succumbed to her four-and-a-half-year battle with ovarian cancer on January 4th, 2025 at the age of 66. She survived through her son and only child Isi Frank, including her siblings Frank Smith Jr. (deceased 1993), Audrey Lewis, Jennifer Smith, David Ali (Janet Ali), and Beverly Pulliam (Steven Pulliam Sr.). Her nephews and nieces were James Lewis III (Tracee Lewis), Jaimese Kellogg (Olan Kellogg Sr.), Jamel Lewis Sr. (Christie Lewis), Steven Pulliam Jr., Britton Pulliam, Jamari Smith, Damaureon Smith, and Te'Jaan Ali (deceased 2020). Her great-grand nephews and nieces were Semaj Lewis, Jalen Lewis, Justin Lewis, James Lewis IIII, Olan Kellogg Jr., Jamel Michael Lewis II, and Chase Lewis.
Memorial Service, Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 10 a.m., at Evanshire United Presbyterian Church, 4555 Church St., Skokie.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (cancer.org).
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