Loretta Heisel Rendall

1928 - 2025

Loretta Heisel Rendall
06/24/1928 - 08/16/2025
Loretta Jeanne Heisel Rendall was born 6/24/1928 in Denver, Colo., and died 8/16/2022 in Lompoc, Calif. She was predeceased by her parents, Ann Sullivan Heisel and Edward William Heisel, brother Edward Heisel and sister Bernadine Leschnik, husband Robert Galbraith Rendall and daughter Kay Suyeyasu. She was survived by her brother-in-law Lou Leschnik, four of her children: Ann (Don) Bethune, Lyn Bean (deceased July 2025), Steven (Natacha Giai) Rendall, and Thomas (Vija Norkvesta) Rendall, her 16 grandchildren: Benjamin, Michael, Steven, Caitlin, Marieke, Krista, Seth, Sarah, Nate, Kathryn, Felipe, Joaquin, Anna, Jaleh, Eduard, and Samuel. She leaves 19 great-grandchildren: Cassandra, Olivia, Lucy, James, Rosamond, Marcella, Josephine, Naima, Ian, Aubrey, Alan, Ronan, Zackary, Aidan, Kaia, Koa, Kiera, Isabella and Jordyn, and 3 great-great grandchildren, Liam, Oliver, and Ila. Loretta also leaves behind beloved nieces, nephews, grand nieces/nephews, and dear friends.
Loretta was a beautiful, brilliant, caring friend, wife, mother, grandmother. She cared deeply about people, about fairness and about the welfare and happiness of others. She instilled in her five children a love of learning, her sense of fairness, and a duty to look out for our fellow human beings. She had a wicked sense of humor, loved a good joke and could throw shade with the best of them.
Loretta always gave her all in whatever she did: as a parent, grandparent, friend, and as a realtor, an editor/administrator in the Engineering Dept at Stanford, and as the Editor of The Stanford Engineer. She was a consummate chef and baker. All the vegetables in the backyard garden were used in her cooking, and the apples, cherries, blackberries, grapes and rhubarb Dad grew ended up in her delicious pies and jams. She took her role as an informed citizen very seriously and got involved in politics, writing to politicians, walking precincts, canvassing, and driving voters who needed rides to the polls.
Anyone wishing to donate in her name, please support either St. Anthony's Dining Room in Redwood City, where she volunteered, or any organization that supports diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.