Diana Templeton
August 7, 1933 – December 2, 2025
By Richard Skipper
Diana Templeton (Diana Spalinski) was born August 7, 1933 in Mount Vernon, New York, and passed away on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 after a long and devoted career in show business. The daughter of Edward Peltz (1908–1961) and Ethel Fay Peltz (1910–1974), Diana grew up with a love of music, dance, and performance that would define her life. Over the years, her work encompassed television, radio, nightclubs, country clubs, cultural centers, retirement communities, and libraries, where she brought warmth, wit, and artistry to every stage she graced.
In 1978, Diana began a remarkable twenty-seven-year chapter in the New York cabaret world, performing in many of Manhattan’s leading rooms, including The Russian Tea Room, The Firebird Café, Judy’s Supper Club, Danny’s Skylight Room, and the Hideaway Room at Helen’s. She recorded ten CDs, each reflecting her musical intelligence and emotional honesty. Diana also created and served as Artistic Director of Broadway in the Bronx, a variety show featuring top-notch cabaret artists. Through this work, she not only supported fellow performers but also expressed her deep commitment to her church and community, often centering performances around Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx, a spiritual home that meant a great deal to her. Her talent was recognized and honored by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs when she received the 2006 MAC Award for Best Female Vocalist.
Beyond her singing career, Diana taught tap dancing for eight years and, in 1979, choreographed the Off-Broadway show Stardust at The Carter Theatre in New York City. Her love of movement, timing, and musical phrasing informed everything she did, whether on stage or in the rehearsal room.
Diana married twice. Her first husband was Bill McGraham. In 1971, she married Walter Spalinski, a New York policeman, who predeceased her in 2003. She was also predeceased by her beloved son, Mark, who died in January of this year. Diana is survived by one cousin, John Fay. Though her biological family line is small, she leaves behind a wide chosen family: colleagues, audiences, fellow parishioners, and friends who cherished her kindness, loyalty, and humor. Diana continued to entertain and share her gifts well into her later years, performing until the COVID-19 pandemic brought live performance to a halt.
A Celebration of Her Life will be planned in early 2026. For more information, please reach out to Richard@RichardSkipper.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Diana’s memory to: Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4360 Rev. Theodore Wittrock Crossing (Boyd Ave), Bronx, NY 10466. Phone: (718) 324-1288.
