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Memorials: Strawberry Creek Quaker Meeting

Heather Ellen Raitt

Date of birth

June 2, 1946

Date of death

Oct. 27, 2011

Meeting

Strawberry Creek Quaker Meeting

Memorial minute

Heather Ellen Raitt was born June 2, 1946 in Pasadena, California to Walt and Mary Raitt.  She referred to herself as "third Raitt," being the third of four children (Judy, Ron, Heather, and Sally). She passed away October 27, 2011 at age 65 at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, California after struggling for several years with severe health issues.  As she had planned, her ashes were scattered at sea near the Golden Gate Bridge.

In May, 1997, Heather graduated from San Jose State University having completed her Masters Degree in Library and Information Science.  Alice Lewis of Sonora, CA, a Friend/friend, wrote: "Heather's dream job of being a full fledged librarian (achieving an unfulfilled dream of her mother) began at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI), a men's prison.  From there, she moved to Sonora to work at nearby Sierra Conservation Center, a state men's prison.  Some people's faces fell upon hearing she was a prison librarian.  Heather would have none of that. She had a passion for all  libraries and, she liked the inmates and they liked her.  She continued her librarianship until the fatigue from a failing heart, sadly, made her give it up" in April, 2006.  In July, 2009, she moved to Oakland where her medical needs could be addressed more fully.

With her family as she was growing up, and later in adulthood, Heather was active with Friends and attended various California  Meetings as well as the annual gatherings of Pacific Yearly Meeting for which she served on the Unity With Nature committee in 1985-6.  Alice Lewis also wrote: "While in Sonora, Heather attended the very small Worship group there (a part of Delta Meeting).  Because Heather worked on Sundays at the prison, and so she could join them, the Worship group began (and continues to this day) to meet at 4:30 PM."