Diana M. Lewinstein, 81, of Newport, RI and Palm Beach, FL, passed away, surrounded by her family, in her home in Newport after a brave, but mercifully brief struggle against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She amazed everyone with her extraordinary courage, dignity, positivity, strength and kindness while facing this cruel disease.
Diana was graduated from Lesley University and earned a master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. She began her career as a teacher for the emotionally disturbed and neurologically impaired and subsequently worked as the Rhode Island Department of Education’s State Consultant for the Emotionally Disturbed. For many years she devoted herself to the upbringing of her son in Providence while renovating family homes in Newport and Florida. In that experience she found her true calling and returned to school at the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a certificate in Residential Interior Design. She worked in the design field for several decades on her own projects and in concert with her husband, a real estate developer.
She had a passion for travel and spent decades savoring the world from the Arctic Circle to the Antipodes, from the mountain passes of Tibet and the markets of Southeast Asia to the pyramids of Egypt and the African bush; from the finest restaurants in Europe’s capitals to dining on witchetty grubs in the Australian outback. She embraced adventure, tracking gorillas in the Ugandan jungle and flying in light aircraft to remote outposts on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Closer to home, Diana could often be found happily working in her garden or preparing dinners, entirely unassisted, for over eighty people.
Diana was devoted to the concept of simple elegance. She had an unparalleled love for the arts and curated an exquisite collection of painting, sculpture and jewelry from across the globe, visiting cultural sites and scouring auction house catalogues with her niece. She was an accomplished cellist in her youth and conveyed her love of music to her family. She was also a fixture at Grand Slam tennis events with her husband; a proud member of the Boston Celtics ownership family with two NBA Championship rings to her name; and a devoted supporter of her son in all his activities, including traveling with him to Ironman triathlons and endurance races around the world as an active member of his support crew, cheering him on in all weather conditions for up to seventeen hours.
Diana was able to connect with people from all backgrounds and experienced no boundaries in her ability to communicate. She found beauty in everything and delighted in sharing that joy.
Given her enthusiasm for life and her zest for adventure, it was hard to remember she was in her early eighties. It is even harder to comprehend that she was taken from her family and friends so quickly.
Daughter of the late Sidney and Elizabeth Schaffer, Diana is survived by Stephen, her steadfast husband of over 58 years; her cherished son Marc, adoring daughter-in-law Xana, darling grandson Alec, whom she was delighted to welcome into the world earlier this year, and loving grand-dog Maalouf, all of Newport and New York City; beloved sister Hilla Weiss of New York City; and devoted niece Jena Weiss of Palm Desert, CA.
Diana was a longtime member of the Society for the Four Arts and the Kravis Center in Palm Beach County, and the Redwood Library and Temple Emanu-El in Rhode Island.
A funeral service will be held Tuesday, September 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, with a burial service to follow immediately thereafter at Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, both in Providence.
Contributions in memory of Diana may be made to the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114.
To attend services via Zoom, please click here.
Meeting ID: 878 5292 3311
Passcode: 441175
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