Mrs. Rochelle Anne Ramay

Rochelle Anne (Monroe) Ramay was born on October 22, 1952 to Daniel Monroe and Alice Rumiano in Willows, California. The youngest of three children, she graduated from Willows High School in 1970 and then attended College of Notre Dame where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. After completing her undergraduate education she moved to Chico, California to teach Art at Chico Junior High School, where she met Richard Ramay, her loving husband of 42 years. Richard and Rochelle were married in 1976 and together they raised their three children: Robbie, Allison and Brooke. In 1992 she earned a master’s degree in Education from Chico State University.

Rochelle dedicated 33 years of her life to one of her greatest passions: teaching English at Corning Union High School. During her career she taught thousands of students the art of academic writing and the joy of reading and critical thinking. One student told her, “You taught me to get to the point, and that everyone has something important to say.” Rochelle wanted high school seniors to have a space to share their ideas publicly and in 2012, she created a video project called “This I Believe,” inspired by the NPR program “This American Life.” The project’s popularity among students and faculty led the English teachers to continue having students make the videos following Rochelle’s retirement in 2016.

At Corning Union High School she made deep connections and lasting friendships. Colleagues enjoyed her honesty, humor and wisdom. At a gathering for her retirement she said, “Stand up for what you know is right,” a statement that Rochelle exemplified during her years as a teacher.

In the early 1980s she became a consultant-teacher for the National Writing Project (NWP). Through the NWP she encouraged innumerable teachers to build classroom curriculum and conduct classroom research. One teacher remarked that Rochelle made her a better person and professional; she created an environment where teachers from all disciplines felt welcomed and she pushed them to explore and get excited about new ideas.

Her family and friends will always remember how Rochelle sought beauty in its many forms. She loved the energy of Broadway musicals, the serenity of Bidwell Park, the smell and taste of morning coffee, the truths expressed in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the enormous granite slabs of Yosemite National Park. She created perfectly colorful quilts and knitted the softest, most beautiful, baby blankets. She had a generous and calm soul, offering invaluable advice to those blessed with her presence. Her search for perfection found its way into the lives of all who knew her.

Rochelle’s endless energy will be incredibly missed. For many years she was an accomplished marathon and ultra-marathon runner, and she inspired others to find pleasure in distance running. She could strike up a conversation and connect with nearly anyone, anywhere; whenever she saw a dog in Bidwell Park she would tell the owner, “The key to happiness is to meet a new dog each day.” In Guatemala and Chile her granddaughters would translate her humor, creating comfort and laughter around her.

Rochelle believed that she needed to give her children “roots and wings”, a maxim that she also practiced. Her grandchildren were her priority despite her busy professional life and for many years, Richard and Rochelle’s home has been a sanctuary for their children’s families.

Rochelle will forever be in the hearts of her husband Richard Boise Ramay and their children’s families: Robbie and Kari (Tadman) Ramay and their children Dalton Graham (15) and Heather Mae (14); Allison Ramay and Pedro Traverso and their children Sofia (10), Olivia (8) and Teo (5); Brooke Ramay and Joaquín Barnoya and their daughters Isabel (9) and Gabriela (7); her sister Georgette (Monroe) Buriani and her late husband Richard Buriani; her brother Lonnie Monroe and his wife Ann Monroe; and many dear family members and friends from the different areas of her life. We are certain that Rochelle is now enjoying the company of her maternal grandmother and grandfather, Mamoo and Papoo.

A celebration of Rochelle’s life will be held at 10.30am on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at the Creekside Rose Garden, 545 Vallombrosa Ave in Chico. Please RSVP at https://www.justrsvp.me/rramay

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to:

Feather River Cancer Center. Send check to Feather River Foundation, 5629 Canyon View Drive, Paradise 95969. Check memo: Cancer Center, in memory of Rochelle Ramay

or

UCSF Foundation. You may 1. Send check to UCSF Foundation, Lockbox 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339. Check memo: IMO Rochelle Ramay/B0673, 2. Pay via credit card by calling 415-476-3952, or 3. Pay online: www.makeagift.ucsf.edu. Follow these instructions:

1) Click the blue box “Direct your gift to a specific area”

2) Click the box “Other” and type B0673

3) Click Continue

4) Select gift amount (min. $25)

5) Check the box “This contribution is in honor or memory of someone”

6) Select “In memory of a deceased friend, colleague or loved one”

a) First Name = Rochelle

b) Last Name = Ramay

7) Check the box for either option:

8) Complete additional fields