Leonette Viesselman

She was born on October 22, 1943 in Staples, Minnesota to the Reverend Leonard and Mrs. Violet Thaemert. Her unique name was a merging of their 2 names.

She was a gifted musician and started playing the organ at just 11 years old for all services of her father’s church, Redeemer Lutheran in Robinsdale, Minnesota. Her life continued to be filled with laughter and music and her children have fond memories of her incredible range of musical interests especially the way she tickled the keys with lightening speed playing Scott Joplin ragtime music. During the last 4 years she regularly was the organist at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Winnetka, CA-even playing music for the Lord at their service just 2 weeks before she passed! Piles of beautiful and ever so varied sheet music can be found at her home next to her grand piano and organ!

She graduated from the Luthern School of Nursing as the top graduate and president of her class in 1964 and opened up one of the first intensive care units in St. Louis. She was proud to call herself the ‘oldest active nurse in California’ as she maintained a current license.

While she was raising her children in the San Fernando Valley she also obtained a Bachelors degree In Psychology from Cal State Northridge in 1978 and was part of the National Social Science honor society, Pi Gamma Nu. Then in 1980 she received her Masters in Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She went on to become a stockbroker, then Vice-President with her dear friend and owner Roger Clarke and subsequently President of Clarke Gear Engineering, a precision aerospace gear manufacturing Company that has been in North Hollywood since 1954.

Lee loved bling, jewelry, hats, retail therapy, collecting homes and pianos, and was a true renaissance woman at once studying medical journals to reviewing aerospace gear proposals, to making flower arrangements for her church family, to interior decorating. She regularly traveled to her daughter’s various Air Force assignment locations and even did a medical mission trip to Ecuador in 1999 sharing her nursing skills. She brought beauty to every endeavor she embarked upon. She had ‘talking walls and mugs’ throughout her home filled with Bible verses and hilarious quotes about organzation and life’s funny moments! She was described as a bright and beautiful soul, an energizer bunny, a super-hero, a beautiful mind, a hummingbird, Nana Lee, working on a different level than the rest of us, and as having a razor sharp memory!! She was determined to do literally everything by herself as in be her own property manager, contractor, gardener, nurse doctor, manager, accountant bookkeeper and president. Even in the hospital, the staff had to ‘google’ her to see if she was ‘for real’ and they said (as Frank Sinatra said) she ‘did it her way’ ! She came in kicking and determined to leave and get out and go run the shop-but Jesus had other plans and now she is playing beautiful heavenly music!

She is survived by her daughter Heather (Rex) Pickett, son Scott (Vashti) Viesselman; twin grandchildren Aiden and Brenna Pickett, grandson Johnny Viesselman; and brothers Robert Thaemert and Don Thaemert.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made;

https://www.our-redeemer.org/onlinegiving

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

8520 Winnetka Avenue, Winnetka, CA 91306

For Live Streaming Of The Service, use this link;

https://www.facebook.com/OurRedeemerLutheranChurchWinnetka/live/