Randee Sue Votaw

Randee was born on March 10, 1947 in Hastings, Michigan to parents Grover “Bud” and Doris Hansen. She attended Pine Crest High School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL before bleeding purple and gold as an LSU Tiger where she majored in fashion merchandising. Her career started as a clothing buyer for Sakowitz. She then took her most important role as mother and stayed home to raise her kids. When her oldest was in high school, she turned to education where she spent over 20 years with Conroe Independent School District in various roles, but her final job was at Deretchin Elementary School where she was known as “Mama Dragon.”

She met the love of her life, Bill, of more than 50 years, in Houston during the summer of 1970 and they were married May 29, 1971 in Michigan City, Indiana. Together, they loved to travel and see the world. They started their family in Michigan City where their daughter, Courtney, was born in 1976 and then made their way to Austin, where their son Chris was born in 1980. The finally settled in The Woodlands in 1987.

Randee always put family first and her children and grandchildren brought her joy and happiness each and every day. Her friends meant the world to her and she never met a person she did not call a friend. She had a zest for life and found happiness in traveling, the beach, cooking and reading a good book.

She was always there for everyone and you could count on Randee for anything. During her life she spent time volunteering with Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, National Charity League with her daughter and Lord of Life Lutheran Church. She was the mom that never missed a soccer game or swim meet and loved socializing with her friends in the birthday club and gourmet club.

She was kind, gentle, loving, giving, had a funny sense of humor and was the best wife, mom, sister, Gigi and friend. We miss her dearly but our guardian angel will be in our hearts and minds forever. We love you.

She is survived her husband, Bill of 50 years, and her two children, Courtney Stevens and her husband Christiaan and their children Layton John and Amelia Ann of Houston, TX, Chris Votaw and his wife Jessica and their children, Parker Lynn, Hannah Grace and Makenzie Faith (expected in June 2021) of Austin TX; her brother Rad Hansen of Houston, TX; cousins James Radford of Howard City, MI; Steve Radford of Dallas, TX; Thomas Radford of Thousand Oaks, CA and their families; and her loving Dachshunds Spooky and Buddy. She is preceded in death by her parents Grover Church Hansen and Doris Ann Hansen.

A funeral is scheduled for Sunday, April 18 at 1:30 pm at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in The Woodlands. All are welcome to celebrate her life. A link to view the service will be available. A private burial will take place following the service at Forest Park - The Woodlands. The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands who provided tremendous care until her last breath.