Diana D. (Byrum) Zilis, 60, of Willowbrook, IL and Sanibel Island, FL, passed away at home on September 27, 2022. Dedi, as she was known to friends and family, leaves behind her beloved sons, Matthew and Brian Zilis, both of Chicago, IL. They were the great loves of her life, and she was so proud of them and their achievements.

Born in Evanston, IL, daughter of the late Susan and Warner Byrum, she lived in Illinois for most of her life. She was the sister of the late Doug Byrum. Dedi was extremely close with her parents and purchased their residence on beautiful Sanibel Island after they passed away.

Dedi graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS after initially attending TCU. She majored in Accounting before earning her CPA. She lived in Lincoln Park after college while working at NCR and Balcor before becoming CFO for Golub Co. in Chicago. After moving to Clarendon Hills shortly after Matthew was born, Dedi took a break from her career to raise her sons. She later returned to the workforce at Christ Church of Oakbrook and StretchLab.

A long-time resident of Clarendon Hills, IL, Dedi was active in the community, volunteering at NAMI in Western Springs and taking residents of Manor Care to Sunday mass at Notre Dame. Dedi was PTA Treasurer and was instrumental in passing referendums for new schools. She also helped secure funding for playground equipment at Prospect School. She found her work as a literacy teacher rewarding and heard from students about how she changed their lives. Most recently, she served as the President of the Carrington Club Homeowner’s Association. She poured her heart into everything she did.

Dedi wasn’t just a mom to her sons, but also to Cubbie and Cooper, her treasured pups. She has joined Cubbie in Heaven and will continue to take care of Cooper in spirit. She was adored by her many nieces and nephews, who are devastated to have lost her. Dedi was a loyal friend, as evidenced by her many lifelong friendships created from every stage of her life. This past spring, Dedi visited some of her oldest and dearest friends in Mississippi. The excitement she felt from that trip was evident in the stories relayed to her sons. Her bunco group of 26 years will cherish the many memories and laughs. She touched so many hearts all around the country.

Dedi had a smile that could light up the room and a sense of humor to match. She loved deeply and gave hugs that showed how much she cared. She was smart and thoughtful, interested in current events and politics, and was a passionate conversationalist. She had a soft spot for tradition and created many memorable and beautiful ones for her family, especially around the holidays. Among the favorites are decorating the Christmas tree while watching Elf, tracking Santa on NORAD (yes, still today), and taking turns enjoying the happy reactions as presents were opened. These holiday traditions will be carried on through her sons. Dedi had a gift for making a house feel like a home. Many frequent routines between Dedi, Matt, and Brian will be missed: morning back scratches, hanging out with the dogs, making M&M cookies, late night runs to DQ for Butterfinger Blizzards, morning coffee, and hanging out around the fireplace. During Matt and Brian’s childhood, the three would daily discuss “happy times,” when they all would list three happy things that happened in their day. To end each night, without exception, Mom’s goodnight words were “Love you, infinity.”

She was compassionate, interested in people’s feelings, and had a special ability to connect with others. There was something about Dedi that brought a calming presence into a room. Her sons’ calls when they needed life advice were always met with the perfect answer from their loving mother. Whether you were feeling stressed, anxious, vulnerable, or just wanted to chat about life, she always knew what to say. Dedi saw the best in people and, uniquely, only cared about what was on the inside. One word that has come up frequently in her memory is “empathy.”

A life-long Cubs fan, she spent time at Wrigley and watched almost every game (even this year). One of her most cherished memories was their World Series victory. Brian gifted Dedi a replica Cubs World Series ring, an item that he will carry with him forever as a necklace. She had a passion for tennis, specifically a fan of Federer and Nadal (the latter of which she may have had a crush on … can we really blame her?). She loved traveling the world with her family, and especially to the London Olympics in 2012. It was a dream come true to experience this event in person. Brian and Matt will miss her updates from the pre-Super-Bowl “Puppy Bowl.” Dogs were a passion in her life, evidenced by her love for Cubbie and Cooper. Eventually, a third pup would be added when Dedi accompanied Matt for his adoption of Lambeau. Lambeau would become a pup and bond shared among the two. She loved taking Cooper to the dog park, especially as leash walking was not his strength. Cubbie, on the other hand, went for long walks with her. Dedi is looking down at all of us alongside Cubbie.

She enjoyed spending time with friends and family, whether it be at the lake in Wisconsin, her home in Sanibel Island, or anywhere else in the world. She appreciated art, had a knack for knitting, and enjoyed going to the theater. Among her other passions were reading, sharing recipes, poring through catalogs with her sister-in-law, playing euchre (and chair dancing and stealing the deal while doing it), and watching and sharing TikTok videos. She was an expert jigsaw puzzler, and she was the first to jump on any new game from crossword puzzles to Sudoku to Wordle. She could make something so simple feel like the best thing ever.

In addition to her sons, she is survived by her former husband, Patrick Zilis; her mother-in-law, Shir-Lee Zilis; cousin Liz Byrum Irvin; brothers- and sisters-in-law Michael & Erin Zilis, Susan & Jay Cooney and Kevin Zilis; and nieces and nephews Kristen Byrum, Meagan & Alex Lynch, David & Heather Byrum, Christopher & Jennifer Mielke, Megan & Hari Jeganathan, Ashley & Kerry Davis, Caitlin Cooney and Ryan Cooney and many dear friends in Illinois and Mississippi.

Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Dedi’s life on October 5^th at Christ Church of Oakbrook, 501 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, IL. Visiting hours will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. Burial will be family only where she will lay in the Winnetka Congregational Churchyard alongside her loving parents.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to The Humane Society (humanesociety.org) or American Red Cross to help those affected by Hurricane Ian (redcross.org).