Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diana Masieri Byfield |
| Also known as | Diana Byfield-McNamara, Diana Masieri-McNamara |
| Birth | Circa 1934, Aviano, Pordenone, Italy |
| Nationality and residence | Italian-born; lived in the United States for 40+ years |
| Known for | Second wife of Robert S. McNamara |
| First marriage | Ernest (Lessing) Byfield, 1974 |
| Second marriage | Robert Strange McNamara, 16 Sep 2004, Chapel of the Relics, Lower Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi, Italy |
| Children | None documented |
| Early pursuits | Equestrian and rally car pilot in Italy |
| Later residence | Washington, D.C. area |
| Public presence | Exceptionally private; no interviews, media profile, or social media |
| Status after 2009 | No public records; genealogical listings mark deceased without date or details |
Origins and Early Passions
Diana Masieri was bornaround 1934 in Aviano, Pordenone, at the foot of the Dolomites. She liked speed, talent, and grace as a child. She became a skilled cavalallerizza who knew reins and rhythm. She raced rally vehicles, which need precision under pressure. These glances indicate a masterful, controlled personality at home in a saddle or behind a wheel. No professional career is known from these endeavors, but they definitely developed an identity that valued skill over pomp.
From Italy to America
Around 40, Diana married Ernest (Lessing) Byfield and moved to the US in 1974. The connection crossed continents and eras. Ernest, three decades her senior, had worked in Chicago hotels and public relations and served in the Office of Strategic Services in World War II. She moved across the Atlantic and lived a quiet life after marrying. Children from the marriage are unknown. Ernest had married Gladys Rosenthal Tartiere, who leased the Glen Ora estate in Virginia to President John F. Kennedy, foreshadowing Diana’s subsequent existence. Diana became a widow in America after decades of quiet living after Ernest died in 2000.
Meeting Robert S. McNamara
Diana met Robert Strange McNamara through common friends following her widowhood. Their relationship led to an engagement and marriage that balanced fame and privacy. They married on September 16, 2004, in a low-key ceremony at the Chapel of the Relics in the Lower Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Diana planned the ceremony with the friars and a Sardinia honeymoon. She remembered him as gorgeous and smart, a brief but illuminating portrait of a man whose intellect defined his public legacy.
The marriage ended in 2009 with McNamara’s death. In the quiet twilight of his famed life, Diana was his partner in Washington, D.C. She told the reporters on 6 July 2009 that his age caught up with him when he died at home.
Family and Personal Relationships
Diana’s recorded family life explores boundaries. Public documents do not list parents, siblings, or biological children. Her extended family was not mentioned during her Assisi wedding. In 2004, McNamara’s three first-married children were adults. Public narratives do not characterize Diana as a stepmother or intimate family figure in that branch or show ongoing family responsibilities.
Relationship Snapshot
| Relationship | Name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First husband | Ernest (Lessing) Byfield | Married 1974; he died circa 2000 | Former OSS officer, Chicago hotel executive, PR figure; approximately 30 years her senior; no children with Diana documented |
| Second husband | Robert S. McNamara | Married 16 Sep 2004; he died 6 Jul 2009 | U.S. Secretary of Defense 1961-1968, Ford Motor Company president, World Bank president; marriage arranged privately in Assisi |
| Children | None documented | No public records of biological or adopted children | |
| Other relatives | Not publicly named | No parents or siblings identified in available records |
Washington Years
Diana lived in Washington, D.C., with McNamara from 2004 until 2009. His career had been plagued by heated debates, but the years were calm and domestic. Her attention and concealment were deliberate. Her name is not tied to formal tasks, charity boards, or public activities. Instead, the pair seemed to live privately in a public metropolis. Diana preferred starlight over spotlight in that small constellation.
Public Life by Intention
Diana Masieri Byfield left few professional traces. Jobs without titles. No speeches. No opinion pieces.Gala and conference panels absent. Diana rejected search results, the currency of modern society. Since 2010, she has avoided social media and interviews. Her death was marked as ambiguous in genealogical listings, fitting a sealed envelope life. Consistency is evident. She kept the unseen.
Extended Timeline
| Year or Date | Age | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Circa 1934 | 0 | Born Diana Masieri in Aviano, Pordenone, Italy |
| 1950s-early 1970s | 16-40 | Active in equestrian pursuits and rally car driving in Italy |
| 1974 | ~40 | Married Ernest (Lessing) Byfield; relocated to the United States |
| Circa 2000 | ~66 | Widowed upon Ernest Byfield’s death |
| 2000-2004 | ~66-70 | Met Robert S. McNamara through friends; became engaged |
| 16 Sep 2004 | ~70 | Married McNamara in the Chapel of the Relics, Lower Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi; honeymooned in Sardinia |
| 2004-2009 | ~70-75 | Lived with McNamara in Washington, D.C., maintaining a private life |
| 6 Jul 2009 | ~75 | Informed media of McNamara’s death in Washington, D.C. |
| Post-2009 | No further public records; genealogical databases list her as deceased without specifics |
What Is Known and What Is Not
Records are defined by edges. Origin in Aviano, youth equestrian and rally mastery, two marriages that brought her across borders and into contact with American power, a final vigil for a famous husband, and a swift, unadorned confirmation of his death. Education, parents, siblings, children, finances, and death date or circumstances are unknown. In an era when every life is a dossier, Diana’s file is slim because she wanted it that way.
FAQ
Who is Diana Masieri Byfield?
She was an Italian-born American resident best known as the second wife of Robert S. McNamara.
When and where was she born?
She was born circa 1934 in Aviano, Pordenone, Italy.
What is she known for publicly?
For her private 2004 marriage to Robert S. McNamara and for notifying the media of his death in 2009.
Did she have a public career?
No public career, employment history, or publications are documented.
What were her early interests?
As a young woman in Italy she pursued equestrian sports and rally car driving.
Who were her husbands?
She married Ernest (Lessing) Byfield in 1974 and Robert S. McNamara in 2004.
Did she have children?
No biological or adopted children are publicly documented.
Where did she live later in life?
Primarily in the Washington, D.C., area.
Is she still alive?
Genealogical listings mark her as deceased, but no date or details have been publicly reported.
Did she use social media or give interviews?
No social media profiles or interviews attributable to her are known.
