Born Diana L. Leeper, she was the second daughter of Durward D. Leeper. Most of her childhood was in Argentina, where I way working. After our return to the U.S., Diana got her degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan. She worked at McDonnell Douglas as a flight test engineer on the F-15. The included photo shows her the day she got to ride, and fly, the F-15. She received her master's degree from Purdue University December 18, 1988, specializing in Aircraft Performance. She was a private pilot.

Rich, her husband, was a-Test Pilot, USAF. They have four children, boys, named Nathaniel, Michael, Alexander and Christopher.

Diana died July 18, 1999, of breast cancer, at the age of 38. She was a person with a combination of strong moral beliefs, rare intellectual abilities, and deeply human feelings. She was loved and is profoundly missed by everyone who-knew her.

I think that she would be very proud to-be remembered on the Wall of Honor of the National Air and Space Museum.