Diane Louise Stanton Memorial Service
Tuesday, July 06, 2021, 12:00 AM
Diane Louise (Hanson) Stanton died on June 27, 2021, at the age of 73, after a brief battle with an advanced stage of lung cancer. She received excellent care and treatment from the medical team at UTSW, and found rest and relief in her final days at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice and Palliative Care Center. Diane is survived by her husband, the Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton (“Jim”), retired Episcopal Bishop of Dallas; her daughter, Jennifer Stanton Hargrave and husband, Jeffrey, of Dallas, TX, and their children, William, Weston and Evellyn; and her son, Justin M. Stanton and his wife, Elise, of Richmond, TX, and their children, James, Lizzie and Ella. Diane was born on May 12, 1948, to Donald E. Hanson, Sr. and Dorothy Louise (Hodges) Hanson in Glendale, CA. She is the third child of six, and is survived by four of her siblings: Dale Hanson and his wife, Missy, of Phoenix, AZ; Drew Ann (Hanson) Krempin and her husband, John, of Phoenix, AZ; Damon Hanson of Phoenix, AZ; and David Hanson, Sr., and his wife, Phyllis, of Canoga Park, CA. Her oldest brother, Donald E. Hanson, Jr., predeceased her. She is known as “Aunt Diane” to 17 nieces and nephews, and even more great nieces and nephews.
Diane grew up in Southern California, and graduated from John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, CA. She began college at Chapman University in Orange, CA. She spent her first semester in college aboard the University of the Seven Seas, where she traveled around the world. She returned to campus to study anthropology and her passion for people and diverse cultures. In August 1967, she met the love of her life, Jim Stanton, who was also attending college at Chapman University, and had also traveled around the world. In addition to their love for people and international travel, they both were working at Disneyland when they met. They were married at First Lutheran Church in Glendale, CA, on December 29, 1968. In 2018, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their family at Disney World, toasting to a marriage that embodied both Adventureland and Fantasyland.
After their marriage, Diane and Jim moved to Lexington, KY, where Jim attended seminary. Upon his completion of a Master’s Degree in theology, the couple returned to Southern California, where Jim continued his doctoral studies and together they began their life in ministry, serving in the First Christian Church in Reseda, CA. Jim eventually became ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1977. Their ministry in the Episcopal Church started in Canoga Park, CA, and took them to Stockton, CA, Cedar Falls, IA, and Glendale, CA. In 1992, Jim was called to be the 6th Bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, and together they have called Dallas home ever since.
Diane was passionate about her own ministries, serving alongside her husband. In the Diocese of Dallas, she created the Clergy Family Commission to support clergy spouses and their children. She was a champion for world mission and outreach, serving as chair for the World Mission Commission. She was also a sought-after speaker on the topic of angels, and led Bible studies throughout churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. In the year 2000, Diane organized what would become the largest Episcopal Church youth event in history, dubbed the Y2K4JC project. It drew over 2000 youth from all over the United States and many foreign countries, and featured speakers such as Gen. Colin Powell and Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, who both shared their personal testimonies of faith. Diane combined a genuine love for people, irresistible charm and outstanding organizational skills. She worked in real estate (winning awards for top producer), university administration (revamping the admissions process), museum archival work, the travel industry, and non-profit management. She served for 12 years as the Executive Director of Uganda Christian University Partners, where she helped develop a highly rated major university located near the capital city of Kampala in Mukono. Ultimately, these experiences helped pave the way for what would become her life mission, bringing health, education and hope to the people of Uganda.
In 1994, the late Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Reverend Livingstone Nkoyoyo, asked Diane to help resettle thousands of Batwa pygmies who had been evicted from their home in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. With courage and faith, Diane agreed to take on this project, and has spent the past 27 years marshalling support for this work that has resulted in the building of schools, an economic development program, an award-winning hospital and nursing school, serving the Batwa people and others in this region. This project expanded beyond Diane’s individual work, becoming truly collaborative in nature. Through divine intervention, Diane became acquainted with Dr. Scott Kellermann, a medical doctor specializing in tropical medicine. Dr. Kellermann, and his wife Carol, witnessed the plight of the Batwas, moved to Bwindi, and founded the Kellermann Foundation. For the past five years, Diane has served as the Executive Director for the Kellermann Foundation. Her work with the Batwa garnered international recognition. In 2014, Diane received the Women Who Give Hope by Chiapas International. In 2019, Diane received The Archbishop Michael Ramsey Award from Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin, along with Dr. Scott and Carol Kellermann. On June 7th, she delighted in news that the Bwindi Community Hospital received the Prince Albert of Monaco prize for “saving patients and the planet.” Her work was never about receiving personal recognition. Her mission in life was simply to share the love of Jesus Christ with others, including the Batwa people. One of her dear Batwa friends told her that their Batwa legend taught them that they were the forgotten people, but that through the work of Diane and the Kellermann Foundation, they now knew that God did not forget about them after all.
Diane Stanton lived a life dedicated to serving Christ by serving all people. Her “family” expands beyond blood relations, as people all over the world refer to her as “Maama Diane.” Her warmth and genuine care and delight for other people did not know geographical boundaries. Her work has changed thousand of lives, for generations. And her legacy will continue on in the hearts of those who have also come to know Jesus, including the Batwa people.
The memorial service to celebrate the life of Diane Stanton will be on Tuesday, July 6th at 2:00 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX 75204. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Kellermann Foundation, PO Box 832809, Richardson, TX 75083, and/or to the Diane Stanton Mission Award, Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, 5100 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206, and/or to the Incarnation Foundation, 3966 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204