Diane Beemer née Peterson, age 83, of Evanston, IL, formerly of
Wilmette and Winnetka, passed to her new eternal life on May 9, 2025,
after a short bout with cancer. Michael Beemer, her devoted husband
for nearly 65 years, and their three children were at her side.

She was the loving mother of Leslie (Steven Wegner) Beemer, Kathleen
(Kurt Stevens) Beemer, and Robert (Julie) Beemer. She was also the
loving and proud grandmother of Brianna Beemer and Aidan Beemer, and
the loving sister in law of Charles (Shirley) Beemer of Waynesville,
North Carolina. Diane was born in Chicago, IL, to her late parents,
Robert Peterson and Florence Peterson née Mulree.

Diane grew up on the South Side of Chicago as a White Sox fan and
attended Thornton Township High School, where she excelled
academically and in student government and other extra-curricular
activities. She studied voice and modeled professionally. In the
summer after her sophomore year in high school she went to visit her
aunt and uncle in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where she met Mike. Four
years later, they were married.

Diane started college at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley,
Massachusetts for one year, then married Mike, and then studied for
two years at Boston University while Mike attended law school. She
gave birth to Leslie during that time. She then finished her fourth
year at Northwestern University and gave birth to Kathleen. Robert was
born in 1967.

Diane was a member of the Junior League of Evanston - North Shore. She
held a number of leadership roles on its Board of Directors and was
the Chair of the committee that trained and mentored new members
joining the organization. She used her League training to be one of
the founders of the Service Board of Hospice of the North Shore, the
volunteer group for the agency which was a predecessor of JourneyCare
and The HAP Foundation (hospice and palliative care). She served as
the Service Board's first President. Diane was also a member of the
Lyric Opera's Lecture Corps, educating school children and numerous
organizations on the art form and various operatic works. Diane was
elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Wilmette Library in
1976 and was reelected in 1980. She served as the Board President
during her second term.

Diane was a lover of animals of all kinds. She and Mike took their
children on many trips to Lincoln Park Zoo while they were young. The
Zoo became a philanthropic passion of hers and Mike's. Her love of
animals also extended to many hands-on experiences. She worked part
time at the Green Bay Animal Hospital as a vet tech. She became an
avid horseback rider in her forties, riding Budweiser, the horse she
shared with her fellow equestrians at the stable where she rode.

Many of Diane's travels were focused on animals, including two African
Safaris, as well as trips to the Galapagos and Australia / New
Zealand, where she and Mike snorkeled and both did a bungee jump over
a river gorge. She and Mike also toured Indonesia, trekked in the
Himalayas in Nepal, white water river rafted in the Grand Canyon, and
traveled to the sand dunes and casbahs in Morocco. They traveled both
as a couple and with friends, once staying with a group in a 1,000
year old French chalet, going on a golf trip in Ireland, and enjoying
music themed river cruises down the Danube and Rhone rivers. Diane and
Mike dearly loved Hawaii, which they visited at least 20 times. They
also enjoyed golf and tennis.

Diane was a lover of the arts, particularly books. She was an avid
reader of all kinds of books, from classic literature to nonfiction
works. She was in many book groups during her life. Diane was a
bookseller at the Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka, where she
developed and, for several years, wrote and edited the Book Stall
newsletter. She and Mike attended the Sun Valley Writers Conference
for many years. Diane was a lover of performing arts too - she and
Mike were season ticket holders to the Lyric Opera and numerous
theaters. Diane and Mike loved going to movies together; Diane also
loved watching the Oscars with her daughters.

Most of all, Diane will be remembered for her personal qualities.
Condolence notes received after her passing describe her as
"gracious", "charming", "delightful", "elegant", "intelligent", "quick
witted", "beautiful", "good humored", "fun", "vibrant", "caring",
"strong", "lovely", "a woman for all seasons", "a bright light in our
lives", "gentle" and "a very special woman with a giant smile". The
word "brave" should be added because she did not complain once during
her illness, notwithstanding the severity and aggressiveness of the
illness.

This remarkable woman will live forever in our hearts and minds.