Rest in Peace, Rannie Yoo

Our dearest friend and co-worker, Rannie Yoo.

I’m sad to note that Rannie passed away Sunday afternoon. She was philosophic in the last few weeks, happy with the love her friends, family and new husband David Reid had shown her in the last year. Born in Korea, she was raised mostly in Southern California and was a graduate of UC Berkeley in Asian Studies in 1998. She started working with Erica in 1999 and of course has been with us since the company’s inception in 2002. She will always be in spirit.

Sweet but persistent, Rannie was flowering personally and professionally when in November she mentioned she was going to the dentist’s office for what was then thought to be a toothache. As the news got worse over the months she redoubled her efforts to fight the aggressive cancer valiantly, even cheerfully. Even last week she sent a few CDs of music as a gift to our kids and was making plans for family members she supported. She was deeply touched by everyone’s support, and said she had no regrets, fear, or any more pain.

She said she had joy at having had a great career in an industry she loved, and found the love of her life David who was magnificent through this turmoil. Rannie enjoyed among many other things games, anime, tennis and reading. But I will mostly remember Rannie for her love of people who enjoyed these things. She invariably found the best in people and would befriend the most shy of wallflowers. She had a great sense of humor — though it was lopsided: she would never tease anyone and always rush to the teased’s defense. She told Erica she was going to haunt us. “Oh, not in a scary way, but look out for a pair of sneakers in the oven so you’ll know I’m there.”

A memorial service is likely planned for later this week. She would excitedly do her “happy dance” to celebrate small victories in the office, and I suspect she would want us to celebrate her life in with the same ebullience.

Rest in Peace, Rannie. We miss you.

Rich

rannie_surprise_party

Kaylee

I met Rannie through a internet forum for parotid tumour patients, She was an amazing inspiration to many all over the world, with her humour, her strength, and her down-to-earth way of facing difficulties. I am so sad to hear the news, and so blessed to have “met' her. With love and prayers for her family and friends who are grieving her.
Bless you.

Cvaldez

RIP. I only had a chance to talk to you a few times, but you were always cheerful and more than willing to help, whatever the situation.

Ronnie

I Knew Rannie as cats On the forum for people with parotid gland tumors…
Such spirit and determination to defeat this disease..
She gave so freely of herself to others fighting this disease..whether it was with a kind word…or her sense of humor…We will all miss her so much…
My deepest sympathy To all her friends and family.
Ronnie

barbnewlands

Like Kaylee I also met Rannie through the same Forum.
Such a special soul , who seemed to find the best in every situation., She loved and was much loved in return.

I have kept her last email to me so that I can read it whenever. It keeps her near.

To her family and friends, sincerest wishes in your loss.
Barb (Australia).

barbnewlands

Like Kaylee I met Rannie through the same Forum.
She always saw the best in everything, loved and was much loved in return.

I have kept her last email to me to read, whenever. It will keep her near and very real although we lived so far apart and never actually met.

To her family and many friends I send my sincere sympathy for your sad loss.

Barb (Australia)

Barb (Australia)

andreafre

I worked with Rannie many years ago on a few projects, and I remember that she always had a sunny personality and a fun quirky sense of humor. I had no idea that she was battling cancer. Very sad news. Rich, you captured her personality beautifully, and precisely.

Peace to you Rannie, and to all friends and family.

Andy

RIP Rannie – you were obviously loved by your peers. Sure hope we figure out how to beat this illness soon. I hope our children's children know of cancer like we know of Polio. A deadly illness of the past. That's my prayer for Rannie.

andrewelewis

I first learned of Rannie through the parotid forum – it turned out we shared the same surgeon. That fact became incidental, though, once I read through her posts and became captivated by her warm humorous voice. I had never met this person and yet somehow she became inextricably bound in my thoughts. We eventually met months later and like many I was struck by her gentle and kind nature and her full embracing of life.

Let's never cease to be grateful for the ways that she touched us.

hannaJung

My deepest condolences to Rannie's family, friends and colleagues…

I have met her only once, but I could instantly tell that she is such a sweet and positive person. I wish I had chance to get to know her better.

peacheyperfections

I was fortunate enough to be able to meet Rannie and always felt she was an inspiration to those who had cancer. I worked at the doctors office she was being seen at and I was always amazed at how unbelieveably upbeat she was… even on her bad days. As she would patiently wait to see her surgeon, we would talk about doughnuts and good eats. I did not know her very well… I just knew she was a great person… she always had this great vibe and positive energy about her. My deepest sympathy, love and prayers to David and Rannie's family. Her life and spirit has touched many and will truly be missed.

Neverwin

CATSM (Rannie) was a very special person to all of us on the parotid patients' forum. From her very first post it was evident that this was one unique lady who was going to inspire us all.

We were all thrilled when she finally finished her treatments and devastated when she posted of the recurrence. Many of us had hoped to keep posting to her to help keep her spirits up during the next few months. That wasn't to be.

My heart goes out to all of you who were fortunate to know her personally – friends, family, coworkers, and the exceptional man who stood by her and supported her throughout her difficult journey. The love she had for him was evident in her forum posts. It seemed a tossup as to who was luckiest to have whom.

May wonderful memories of what you shared with her sustain all of you!

H. Yoo

I am Rannie’s father.

First of all, I am very grateful for all the kind hearted postings about Rannie.

I and my wife still don’t believe Rannie is not here in this world any more.
While I have been trying to survive in this new world as a first generation immigrant, Rannie has been always my joy, my reason of being and the justification of my struggling in this country. She was a perfect daughter as well as my best friend.

Rannie once said she will live in San Francisco until she dies because she has so many good friends in S.F. from her college years and after. I though it was a kind of exaggeration. But I realized it was not after I saw so many of her friends in the memorial service and heard about their wonderful comment about her. Rannie was always proud of her friends.

There is an old saying in my home country, “You bury your parents in the grave. But you bury your children in your heart.” Yes, she was buried in my heart. So I can always open my heart to see and talk to her, although it may be painful.

Rannie, I love you.

Dad

H. Yoo

I am Rannie’s father.

First of all, I am very grateful for all the kind hearted postings about Rannie.

I and my wife still don’t believe Rannie is not here in this world any more.
While I have been trying to survive in this new world as a first generation immigrant, Rannie has been always my joy, my reason of being and the justification of my struggling in this country. She was a perfect daughter as well as my best friend.

Rannie once said she will live in San Francisco until she dies because she has so many good friends in S.F. from her college years and after. I though it was a kind of exaggeration. But I realized it was not after I saw so many of her friends in the memorial service and heard about their wonderful comment about her. Rannie was always proud of her friends.

There is an old saying in my home country, “You bury your parents in the grave. But you bury your children in your heart.” Yes, she was buried in my heart. So I can always open my heart to see and talk to her, although it may be painful.

Rannie, I love you.

Dad