Deedee Winterhoff
April 8, 1933 - October 15, 2018
Resident of Danville

At sunset on a beautiful California day, surrounded by her daughters and granddaughter, our mom peacefully passed away to heaven, just in time for cocktail hour with our dad. Born in Calumet City, Illinois, Elinor Diane Damai, known as Deedee to friends, and Deets to her grandchildren, grew up a tomboy, playing with the boys, riding horses, ice-skating and rescuing stray animals. In high school she met Bill Winterhoff, her future husband and our dad. (He used to joke that he spied her as a freshman but waited until she got her braces off to ask her out.) She went on to attend nursing school at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago where she obtained her degree and made lifelong friends with her fellow nursing buddies. She married Bill in 1954 and raised three daughters and a menagerie of rescued animals. She was a green-eyed beauty with a heart of gold.
Deedee had a wonderful life, traveling the world and enjoying vacation homes on Lake Michigan, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in the mountains. She was the family chauffeur when our dad became legally blind at a young age and was a committed community volunteer. She had beautiful cursive penmanship and hand-wrote wedding invitations for grateful brides-to-be. Deedee always had music playing in her home and especially loved Frank Sinatra and jazz. She had a remarkable eye for interior design and was a snappy dresser who was ahead of the time in style and fashion. She handed a Pepsi to the recycling man every week, generously over-tipped all the restaurant servers, petted every neighborhood dog and greeted complete strangers with a smile. She never passed judgment on anyone and gave compliments and warm hugs to all. She made everyone she met feel special and a bit more confident simply by knowing her. She was always cheerful, loved easily and was so very easy to love.
She is survived by her three daughters, Pam Edrington (Pete) of Walnut Creek, California, Sha Clark (Mike) of Walnut Creek, California, Sally Goodman (Glenn) of San Ramon, California, six grandchildren, Adam and Dylan Edrington, Ryan and Megan Clark, and Sarah and Anna Goodman, her dear sister, Deli Podsiadlo of Stone Mountain, Georgia, and numerous nieces and nephews. She opened her home to AFS exchange students Jose (from Argentina), Martin (from Germany) and Jordi (from Spain) and their families. She had many wonderful lifelong friends as well as new friends whom she loved like family. In her later years, she enjoyed the comfort and companionship of her two black cats, Bo and Ty.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to caregivers, Liz and Georgina, and Hospice of the East Bay. A Celebration of Life will be planned for a later date.
Our mom was a shining light in this world, showing kindness and generosity to all. She taught us to love unconditionally and to put other's needs ahead of our own. Imagine how our mother's simple lesson could change the world. In her memory, please share a smile, a warm hug or a kind word with someone you meet along life's way, just as she would have done.
With oceans of love, Mom, and a kiss on every wave.

View the online memorial for Deedee Winterhoff