Diane S. Ely (nee Redding)

Diane S. Ely (nee Redding) passed away on October 30, 2026, at the age of 87. She was born on February 14, 1939, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Lester B. Redding and Geraldine E. Redding (Brewer).

Beloved wife of the late Wayne L. Ely; loving mother of Douglas B. (Cheryl), Richard L. (Laura), and Alan W. (Sheri); dear grandmother of Sarah Kiehl (Andy), Matt Ely (Zeyry), Lydia Fairbanks (Peter), Alex Ely (Lexie), Hannah Salisbury (Kade), Ryan Ely, Sam Ely, and Grace Ely. Cherished great-grandmother of Esther and Rebecca Kiehl, Maverick and Zoe Ely, and Isak, Lotte, and Elsie Fairbanks; dear cousin of Beth Sendre and Bruce Kirchoff; and aunt and friend to many, all of whom she loved dearly.

Diane graduated from Elmhurst High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1957. In the fall of 1957, she began attending Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where she pursued a degree in business. During the summer months, Diane worked at Virginia Carolina Chemical Company until April 9, 1960, when she married her high school sweetheart, Wayne L. Ely.

In 1962, Diane and her husband, along with their six-week-old son, Douglas, moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, so that Wayne could complete his college education at Purdue University. Wayne graduated in 1965 and began his career at McDonnell Aircraft. In 1970, the family moved from St. Charles, Missouri, to Florissant, Missouri, with their three sons: Douglas, Richard, and Alan.

Diane was a stay-at-home mother until her youngest son was preparing to enter seventh grade. She then worked for the Social Studies Department at Hazelwood Junior High School. From there, she worked for 10 years at St. Francois Medical Center in Florissant, Missouri. Following her husband's suggestion, Diane began a long career at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. During those years, she continued her education by attending college courses in the evenings. In 1997, Diane took early retirement from the Unigraphics Division of McDonnell Douglas when it was sold to EDS. Her subsequent work with EDS and a second retirement opened the door to a lifetime of travel. New Zealand was the trip of a lifetime.

Diane had many loves and hobbies. Piano lessons beginning at the age of five opened many doors, including opportunities to perform at state contests, accompany school choirs and other musicians, and participate in Job's Daughters activities. After taking many art classes, she was thrilled to have her work accepted into several juried shows. She earned an Associate of Arts degree. Diane and her husband also enjoyed playing golf on many renowned courses during their travels, with Pebble Beach being her favorite.

Organizations in which Diane participated included Job's Daughters, Beta Sigma Phi (of which she was a 50-year member), the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Missouri Botanical Garden Master Gardener program, 10 years as a volunteer teacher at the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Assistance League, and the Valley of Flowers Garden Club.

Diane was a member of Manchester United Methodist Church.

Services: Visitation at Manchester United Methodist Church, 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, MO 63011 on Monday, November 9, 2026, from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service at 1:30 p.m. Inurnment to follow service at Manchester United Methodist Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Lung Association, Manchester United Methodist Church, or Susan G. Komen.

As a service of the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, friends may sign the family's on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.