Diana Leslie

1947 - 2025

Stonington - Diana Chambers Leslie of Stonington, died peacefully Jan. 11, 2025, at age 77. She was an adored wife, mother, grandmother, colleague and friend and was a source of wisdom and kindness to all who knew her. She had a rare gift that allowed people to feel truly seen and heard.

Diana was born July 24, 1947, in Indianapolis, Ind. to David L. and Estelle B. Chambers Jr. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, where she was active in the anti-Vietnam War movement, and later earned an M.B.A. at the University of Michigan.

Diana was committed to racial and gender equity, social justice and environmental stewardship and she was known for her consensus building. With her quiet but determined leadership and unshakable core values, she often succeeded in creating meaningful change from within existing power structures. Early in her career Diana was the executive director of the Cummins Engine Foundation, the co-author of "Stories from the Boardroom," and a consultant to board members and staff of nonprofit organizations.

Beginning in the 1980s, Diana was an active member of nonprofit boards where she led countless strategic planning initiatives and fundraising campaigns. She served as vice chair of Sarah Lawrence College and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis; chair of Indiana Humanities and The Orchard School in Indianapolis; and board president of the La Grua Center in Stonington. She served on many other nonprofit boards, including the Indiana Nature Conservancy, and was a generous donor to these and other progressive causes.

Diana had a first encounter with mortality when she survived Hodgkin's disease at age 35. After beating Hodgkin's disease a second time two decades later, she lived courageously with heart and lung conditions for the last 15 years of her life. Despite these challenges, Diana never gave up hope. Her ever-deepening spiritual life and her practices of personal reflection, silent meditation and connection to the natural world sustained her. Sharing this work with kindred spirits in prayer, poetry and meditation groups for women was a vital part of her practice. Diana was known as the person who gathered people together and then kept everyone connected.

Diana met Malcolm Archibald "Archie" Leslie, a native of Scotland, in Columbus, Ind. when Cummins was a hub for talented young professionals and Columbus had become "the Athens of the Prairie." Diana and Archie were married in Indianapolis in 1979, and celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary last year. Together they raised two children, Benjamin and Laura. Diana loved being a Mom and she struck an artful balance between the unconditional love she offered, while also setting her children free to discover independence and meaning in their lives. She taught her children compassion and she showed them how to live with integrity. Diana also became a beloved "Nana" to two grandchildren, David and Thomas, who filled her with joy. Her family will see Diana now in swaying trees, feathered birds, delicate butterflies and quiet moonrises, as she saw the connection between herself, the natural world and all of us.

Diana loved being near to the ocean in Stonington and Scotland; being amongst trees; having meaningful conversations; traveling the world with her family; playing tennis; gardening; weaving; being still; and writing, reading and sharing poetry. In recent years, Diana and Archie spent winters in the California desert where Diana became an integral member of her local church. A memorial ceremony will be held for Diana in April at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The memorial can be attended in person and will also be live-streamed online. The family will provide additional details in the coming weeks.

Diana will be profoundly missed by her husband Archie; her daughter Laura; her son-in-law Louis; her son Ben; her daughter-in-law Megan; her grandsons, David and Thomas; her brother David; her sister-in-spirit Mary; her extended family and her dear friends around the world.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the La Grua Center, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert or the Indiana Nature Conservancy.