For our wife, our friend, our "Gram," our mom, our heart and our anchor. From the tips of her toes to the top of her spiky hair, the most beautiful, fearless, loving woman in our world.

Details about Judi's celebration service will be posted to this page as they are set. Please continue checking for more information, or click the orange heart above to receive information directly when we have set a date. 

We warmly invite friends and families to upload a short video to share their favorite memory or story of Judi, so that our family and her grandkids can live her life with her through the eyes and words of our wonderful family of friends. Please visit https://www.tribute.co/judi-rentschler/ to learn more and upload a video. 

We also invite you to upload photos directly to this page. We will be gathering photos for her celebration service and welcome all of your photographic memories of our incredible, fantastic, amazing, bursting-with-love, powerhouse wife, friend, "Gram," and mom. 

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The Life and Love of Judi Rentschler (1951-2021)

It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Judith Joan Rentschler on January 27, 2021, from cardiac arrest. Born March 2, 1951, Judi grew up in Granger, Indiana, where she learned to see joy in life’s simple gifts: farming and gardening, cooking and preserving food, and the power of books to take her anywhere. Judi graduated from Michigan State University and then from UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, California. She fell in love with the city and the ocean, and stayed in the area the rest of her life. Judi practiced class action personal injury law for a number of years including participating in national cases such as the NY Love Canal and Dalkon Shield suits. Her tireless, fiery, and compassionate advocacy helped hundreds of thousands of people who suffered devastating injury and loss. She later transitioned to practice corporate real estate law and eventually founded Rentschler & Tursi, LLP. She lived to make her clients’ lives a little better and brighter, to ease pain and suffering, and to bring light to darkness. After a more than 40 year law career, Judi recently retired and devoted her time to her other varied interests with the passion and commitment she lived by.

From a small farm town, Judi eagerly absorbed new and different places, ideas, religions, and cultures, and enjoyed exploring corners of the country and the world with family and friends. She led her children and husband around foreign cities on foot, visiting local cemeteries and forgotten sites off the beaten path, relishing the history, food, wine, and undiscovered gems of art and architecture. What she couldn’t see in person, she read about, immersing herself in historical fiction, mystery, and chronicles of the lives of leaders. She passionately embraced the world of words, teaching a love of anything written and penning her own thoughts to paper with the power to move your soul. Her laugh rang through whole buildings, and her eyes could see your heart’s intentions and your greatest insecurities; her words and love could sooth them. A student of Tae Kwon Do with a 4th Degree Black Belt, Judi briefly ran her own martial arts studio where she and her daughter taught children and adults to protect themselves and to be like her: fierce, fearless, and in control of their power. She loved sailing and spent many happy hours with friends between the waves and sky. She always found peace and life in new growth – in soil, water, air – and grounded herself in the sounds of plants unfurling a new leaf, the feel of worms in her fingers, the flutter of birds’ wings outside her windows, and the flash of fish scales darting through dark waters. As her friends and family knew from her generosity, Judi’s creativity shined through in the wonderful glass creations she made from her home studio. From jewelry to coasters to countless other pieces, they truly reflected her soul: functional, whimsical, multi-dimensional, strong and sometimes fragile, but always letting the light stream through.

In every word, deed, action, and achievement, Judi’s greatest love and passion was always her family. She leaves her husband, Dave Lee of San Carlos, California; daughter Alexandra (Rob) Bryden of Silver Spring, Maryland; sons Derek (Sheena) Lee of Ridgecrest, California, and Jasen Lee of Laredo, Texas; canine kids, Panda and Skipper; and sister, Toni Watson of Portland, Oregon. She is preceded in death by brother Tom Rentschler and sister Corky Rentschler. Her newest, greatest treasures were her grandsons, J.R. and Cole Bryden, and she lives on in their spirit and grit, wonder and creativity, their fondness of books and words, and their endless love and affection for “Gram."

In lieu of flowers you are invited to contribute to a charity of your choice that represented your connection with Judi.