Diana Johnson Sigler

Diana Johnson Sigler of Eagles Mere, PA, and Lewisburg, PA, died on Sunday, June 19^th, 2022, at Heather Court in Northumberland, PA, surrounded by her three loving children, at the age of 88.

Diana was born on November 15^th, 1933, in Lewisburg to the late Judge Albert Johnson and Mary Steck Johnson. She was the youngest of eleven children, all of whom pre-deceased her. Diana graduated from Lewisburg Area High School in 1951, and from Bucknell University in 1955, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

She married the love of her life, Alan Bowman Sigler (even though he graduated from Lafayette!), who died in 1997. Together, Alan and Diana had three children: Alan B. Sigler Jr. of Wynnewood, PA, Peter D. Sigler (Nathalie) of Canandaigua, NY, and Mary Ann S. Stanton (Ryan) of Lewisburg, PA.

Alan’s career with General Motors (broken only by ownership of his own Chevrolet franchise in Montoursville, PA) moved them several times, and each time Diana created a new and beautiful home for her family – settling them in their schools and church, creating a familiar foundation in each new place they called home.

Diana volunteered wherever she lived, serving in her children’s schools, each church they attended, at victim services organizations, and in retirement at nursing homes, for the American Cancer Society, and as a member of the Eagles Mere Civic Club. She and Alan also hosted inner city children via the Fresh Air Fund each summer for several years when their children were young.

Diana had a beautiful soprano singing voice, one that lilted gently and without showiness – especially when singing her beloved church hymns. She and Alan participated in the choir at each church they attended. Amid all those moves, Eagles Mere was home, serving as an anchor and a touchstone for the family. Diana’s parents bought a home (The Big House) when Diana was a young girl, and she was fortunate to spend each summer there, eventually meeting Alan on the front porch in an encounter orchestrated by her brother Bill and Alan’s brother Jack. They later celebrated their wedding reception on that porch. Alan and Diana built their own dream house on the lake in the 80’s, and retired there, where Diana lived happily with her adored golden doodle Charlie for many years after Alan’s death.

While Diana embarked on the challenging road to dementia over a decade ago, her good nature and kindness never dimmed. A warm smile of delight was always present when greeting friends old and new – so sincere that sometimes one honestly had no idea if she remembered you or not. Known as “Grandy” to her grandchildren, Derek and Justin Sigler, Audrey and Diana Sigler, and Daniel Hendry and Chelsea Stanton, she loved to read to them, take them for walks, spend time at the beach with them, attend their soccer and baseball games, and watch the sunset. Watching the sunset was mandatory with Grandy, who would call out “Sunset! Sunset! Come now! It’s so beautiful!” each time the sun set…which was often. And each time, her children and grandchildren would dutifully gather at the windows or on the deck and exclaim how lovely it was. Grandy was also a stickler for grammar, and could be heard correcting pretty much anybody’s incorrect grammar. 

She loved good books and beautiful art and music, and could put together an elegant outfit like nobody’s business. An avid natural gardener, it was closely known that she occasionally “relocated” a plant or bush from one home to the next, and no one loved to weed more. She continued her mother Mary’s tradition of providing gorgeous arrangements of hydrangea at the Presbyterian Church in Eagles Mere every Labor Day Weekend, a practice that has continued to this day. As the youngest of a large family with eight boys and only three girls, Diana especially loved to spend time with her big brothers, at home, in Eagles Mere, and at their family cabin on Cherry Run.

Bucknell University was also a family tradition, one begun with Diana’s father who graduated in 1896 and who also served as a trustee and professor of law. Diana was the ninth Bucknellian in her family and attended with her beloved brother Van, ’52, who was both a friend and protector while there. In addition to her studies, Diana was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, Chorale, The Bucknellian staff, Delta Mu Business Honor Society, Care & Concern, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and Cap & Dagger.

Always health-conscious (to the point of hiding the peanut butter when Dad was alive!), Diana was a consistent “walk-jogger” as she called it, jogging around the lake on the Laurel Path daily until the ubiquitous roots caused multiple broken toes, which then moved her run to the road around the lake. In later years, folks would see Diana walking her beloved Charlie – with both hands, until a fall on just such a walk broke an ankle and ended her dog walks for good. 

She loved the beach and spending time there with friends chatting or alone reading a book, leaving only for a mid-day nap, a practice she continued from her small child-rearing days. September (after the summer crowds departed) was her favorite time of year, and she was loath to leave the sun-warmed boards of the boat dock until the sun lowered. She took great joy in her nieces and nephews as well, and was delighted when they and their children continued to spend time in Eagles Mere and Laporte and included her in their gatherings.

A fiercely independent woman, Diana was determined to stay in her home on the mountain despite the challenges her disease presented, and she did so for as long as it was possible. After that time, she moved first to Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village in Lewisburg and then to Heather Court at Nottingham Village in Northumberland. The family is so grateful to the staff at both facilities and to the Evangelical Hospice staff for taking such wonderful care of Grandy.

A Celebration of Diana’s Life for friends and family will be held on Friday, July 15^th, 2022, at 3:00 pm at the Presbyterian Church in Eagles Mere, PA.

Should you wish, gifts in Diana’s memory can be made to The Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org or Sullivan County Victim Services at www.sulcovs.org.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA 18614.

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