Diane Leslie Wells, age 65, made her transition on Friday, January 16, 2009, following a courageous yearlong battle with cancer. She had recently retired from Swiss Re, where she had been employed for 23 years. A resident of Wheaton, Diane was a member of Gary Memorial United Methodist Church for over 50 years and very active in Wheaton Chapter #506 of the Order of the Eastern Star into which she had been initiated on June 14, 1974. During her affiliation, she held the office of Worthy Matron in 1983, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1998. She also officiated as Grand Representative to Scotland in 1994 and served as secretary from 2002 to 2008 as well as serving in many other stations through her years with Wheaton Chapter.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on July 18, 1943, Diane moved to Wheaton in 1952, a city she loved, especially at Christmas. She received her bachelor of arts degree from Illinois State University in 1965 and went on to earn master degrees in library science and in education.

Diane is survived by her mother, Viola L. Wells with whom she lived and her brother Roy R. Wells and his wife, Carol, from Bloomingdale, Illinois.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 23, from 4 until 8 P.M. at the Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main Street, Wheaton. A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11:00 A.M. at Gary Memorial United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main Street, Wheaton, IL 60187.

Memorials may be directed to the Pet Rescue, Inc., 151 N Bloomingdale Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108; or to Gary United Methodist Church, to be used for the Guatemalan Orphanage Mission.