Randi Renaud

Randi Renaud

April 10, 1947 - July 18, 2009

Good Evening.  My name is Melly Renaud Lindsay and on behalf of my mother, Randi; my father, Ron; my brothers Peter and Ronnie; and my sisters Rachel, Annie and Beth, we would like to thank you for your cards, emails, phone calls and your thoughts and prayers given to us over the past 18 months during our mother’s battle with ovarian cancer.  Your continual support helped us through one of the most difficult times in our lives.  Our family would like to especially thank Notre Dame High School to allow us to celebrate the life of our mother here today on campus. 

Randall Mary Prettyman, Randi for short, was born on a foggy, cool spring day in St. Paul, MN on April 10, 1947 to Constance and Richard Prettyman.  She moved out here to California when she was 6 years old and had a wonderful childhood growing up on Otsego St in Sherman Oaks with her older brother Jeff and younger siblings Pam, Amy and Rick. 

Randi went to St. Cyril’s grammar school in Encino and then to Corvallis, an all girls catholic high school in Studio City.  Corvallis was the sister school to Notre Dame which was an all boys school at the time.  Our mom was 14 and a freshman when she met our dad who was 15 and a sophomore here at Notre Dame.  They were high school sweethearts. After high school, our mom moved to Hawaii with her sister Pam waiting for my Dad to complete his tour of duty in Vietnam.  Once he finished his service in the Army, they married on February 21, 1970 and 1 and _ years later their family began. We were born and raised in Van Nuys.  First in a house on Sylmar Avenue and then we moved a few blocks over to Costello Avenue.  I was born September 1971, Peter was born December, 1972, Ronnie in March 1976, Rachel August 1977, Annie May 1979 and baby Beth 1983.

Our mother always put her family and friends first and provided us with unconditional love.  She gave so much to her family and friends.  She was very involved at St. Elisabeth in Van Nuys.  It was our church and grammar school.  She volunteered on many different committees including fundraising, being a room mother and ran a booth every year at the May festival.

Once we started Notre Dame our mother began to devote her time here.  She was on the Parents board and was involved with the Freshman gatherings, Father/daughter dance; mother/son dance and the school Christmas party.  She was also on the Altar society and did the fashion show.  My parents ran the Alumni booth at the carnival every year.  She was at Notre Dame volunteering all the time with the day to day activities.
My parents traveled with friends all over the US from Hawaii to DC, Colorado to New York.  They were able to travel to various countries in Europe as well.  She also took trips with her sisters and mother in the United States and as far as England, France and Italy.  She loved to travel and immersed herself into each city or town she was visiting.  She would get up at the crack of dawn and be gone all day until late at night.  My sisters called her the Travel Nazi and I must admit that I have followed in her footsteps.

In 1997, our mother started volunteering at the Getty museum every Wednesday.  A couple of years later she started working part-time at Williams-Sonoma right here at Fashion Square.  She loved these two jobs.

At lunchtime on Thursdays we would meet her at the mall for “Mall Day.”  Rachel, Annie, Beth, her sister Pam and I would meet at Fashion square during our lunch hour to have lunch and shop.  Every week we looked forward to “mall day”

Randi loved to garden.  She spent hours tending her flowers like roses and hydrangeas. 

Every year she hosted Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cooking amazing feasts and she decorated the house for every holiday in a classy subtle way. 

Our mother was a great cook.  She cooked almost every night. Some of our favorite kids meals ranged from chili to tacos and taquitos, spaghetti, chicken mc randis and to my dad’s delight and our disgust the dreaded hot dish.  We had traditional Sunday night family dinners at her home.   There was always a delicious meal and a tasty dessert baked by my sister Beth.

Our mother had the most beautiful crystal clear green eyes.  She was born a toe-head, was a brunette growing up and colored her hair blonde later on in life.  She let her hair go natural over the past year and it was a beautiful white/grey color.  She was always thin, healthy and ate sensibly. Whatever weight she gained during pregnancy she lost immediately. After she gave birth to each of us she left the hospital in her pre-pregnancy blue jeans.  She kept herself fit by walking a couple miles every morning and played tennis with her friends every Tuesday and Thursday.   She was never sick and never had taken an antibiotic in her life.  The strongest medicine she took was Tylenol so it was quite a shock when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer Jan 2008.


Our mother was a great seamstress who made her own clothes starting in high school. While she was busy raising us she found the time to make our clothes too.  She focused on the details like the hem, the buttons or a lace collar. She would make my brother Peter and I matching outfits when we were very little.  I would be in this adorable hand smocked dress and Peter in a matching overall or jumpsuit.  We had these outfits in several colors.  I remember when I was in first grade she made me this beautiful camel toggle coat with a hood.  It was lined in a dotted silk.  She made our first holy communion dresses, graduation dresses, homecoming and Annie’s prom dress.  The coat and dresses were so well made that it was passed down to my 3 sisters to wear and then saved for my own daughter to wear.

Randi enjoyed shopping.  She spent her weekends shopping with her sisters Pam and Amy.  She wanted her children well dressed and the best places to find great prices to clothe six children was at such places as Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom’s Rack and Lohmans.  She always found great deals and sales at the department stores.  She liked her fashion magazines too.  She always knew what the best accessory was to complement the outfit.

Our mother had a classic style and grace. She was our greatest fashion influence.  She inspired our own personal style as well. She always new what was coming in fashion and what she liked and didn’t like.  I don’t think she would be so keen on seeing neon coming back especially for the fall.

Our mother could make the perfect bow.  Growing up she did our hair every morning before school.  It was either braids, pony tail, French braid, half up or half down and she would finish with a ribbon tied in the perfect bow.  Even in the end she could do it.  When she was in the hospital in June, I wore a ribboned belt that I tied in a bow.  She was in a hospital bed at St. Joes, feeling terrible but what really bothered her was the way I tied my bow.  She had me come to her bed so she could retie it properly.  It was a perfect bow.

Randi loved to read.  She enjoyed going to the movies and to dinner with my father and their friends.  She enjoyed the theater and musicals. Our parents had season tickets to the Ahmanson Theater every season.

Our mother received a different kind of special joy in her life when her grandchildren were born.  My children Madison, age 10 and my son Jack Ryan age 8.  Rachel’s children Josh, age 11 and Hunter, age 9.  Annie’s two boys Oscar age 2 and Baby George 4 months.  She always made time for them and was willing to baby-sit.  Sometimes for days or maybe even a week or two.

Randi was a devout catholic who never missed mass until she got sick.  Luckily Heather came over every Sunday to minister to her the Eucharist.

Our mother’s best advice was very simple. Just be happy.  She always said money can’t by happiness or health.

Randi had a beauty of character that endeared her to all those who crossed her path.  The wonderful turnout today is a loving testimony to the contribution that our Mother made to the lives of her family and friends. Her friendships were very important to her.  She so enjoyed the time with her friends from Otsego St. to Corvallis high school, to St Elisabeth and Notre Dame, from the Getty to Williams Sonoma. New and the renewal of old friends from DC.  Oh how she cherished her friendships.  She made each friendship feel unique and special.  When she came home after being with friends she would have a smile on her face.  So when my father sees and visits with you in the future and he smiles for no apparent reason it will be because he saw Randi in you.  Thank you for being her friend.

In the end she told us if it was time for her to go then she had no regrets because she lived a full life.  She married the love of her life and had beautiful children and grandchildren.

Her death has created a void that will never be filled but our hearts have been forever filled with love left by our mother.  We have all lost a true friend.  Randi will be missed. Very much.
 

August 10, 2009

Last Saturday I saw family, neighbors, friends, classmates, colleagues, clergy, musicians, dignitaries, and alumnae come together in a requiem and reception like nothing I’ve ever witnessed, an amazing tribute to Randi. We will all miss her. Special recognition must go to Hunter (perfect), and Melly, whose wonderful eulogy said it all. Veda told me on the way home she was reminded again that every day is a special gift.

Thanks for the party, Ron. Bravo.

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2009, 1:53 PM

Randi Mary Renaud

I remember the Sunday dinners. I remember the big brown Buick. I
remember the Halloween costumes. 

I remember the beach after work days where Randi would have Hot dogs in
a big pot, and we ate them right on the beach. I remember Lent when
Randi would tease me and say she was going to have a beer. I remember
Fathers Day when the girls (with Randi's help) had a breakfast ready
when we came back from Surfing. I remember the old house on Sylmar,
every holiday it was decorated. I remember when Beth chewed on the wire
and how a close family reacts to almost losing a family member. I
remember sitting and watching TV in the living room of the Sylmar house
with at least 4 of the kids in the room, one coloring, two playing a
board game and one sitting next to Mom. It was a warm feeling being
around a close family. 

She took very good care of her family and had enough kindness to bring
in other families to share. 
 

I'm sure that God is having a big Sunday dinner and I'm sure that Randi
is helping him prepare the meal. 
 
 I feel lucky to have shared times with the Renaud family. I will have
Randi in my thoughts.

Jeff Meyer
 

Aloha,
 
It has been a very sad day indeed.  I trust that you are holding up well.  My hope is that we can all remember our love, Randi, as the most beautiful, natural, honest friend ever.  Her unique sense of style can never be reproduced. Randi's love for family, friends, and life was a jewel, a classic beauty.  Randi will forever hold the highest honor for being the quintessential REAL person.  Is there such purity?  Let's make it so.
 
I share all of your sadness today, but, instead, & better yet, let's celebrate Randi's amazing grace, and learn from her friendship and her uniqueness how we can be better people.  She would love to know that she has left us something to take away, the prize of sharing a friendship with a special, wonderful, loving, and gracious individual.
 
Mahalo & Aloha Nui Loa
 
Pam, 
Randi's Otsego St./Tobias Ave. neighborhood friend of 50 years