Cal Club loses Renee, but will forever have an Angel

by MaryAnne Shults

UPDATED:  December 29, 2011
Originally posted:  December 17, 2011

Cal Club's Renee Angel, 64, of Ontario, Calif., died today after a battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends at the home of her stepdaughter, Laurie Angel, in Long Beach, Calif.

"She thought he had it beat," said friend Linda Haneline. "Then in October she developed pneumonia, which led to liver failure."

Haneline said it was then doctors discovered a tumor on her spine.

She then moved into an assisted living facility and then alternated between the homes of her stepdaughters Ginger and Laurie.

Renee returned to New Jersey last June for her high school reunion and to visit with family and friends, said Laurie Angel, Renee's stepdaughter.

"As many of you know, Renee really believed she was going to be OK even though she had numerous very serious episodes with liver cancer since her diagnosis in 2009," said Laurie Angel. "She had an incredible ability to overlook the complications of the disease and enjoy life to the fullest - truly remarkable."

Her SCCA friends called and visited, keeping in touch with her family when she was too weak to talk on the phone or accept visitors, according to posts on her Facebook page. Gayle Jardine did an excellent job of keeping Cal Club members advised on the club's Facebook page.

"We had many calls from family and friends from all over the country concerned about Renee over the past few years and particularly in the last several weeks before she passed," Laurie Angel said. "People showed their love and caring and I know she really appreciated each and every one."

A 31-year member of the Cal Club SCCA region, Renee wasn't only known in one circle; she was extremely active in both Solo and as a Club Racing volunteer, most notably for her work with Grid and Pits.

Her husband Craig Angel passed away in 2008 was also extremely active in SCCA, but more importantly, a respected and adored contributor. For over 20 years, he organized the Lone Pine Time Trials. Based out of the historical California town of Lone Pine, the event is held in the heart of the picturesque Owens Valley. Proceeds from this annual event are donated to the Los Angeles Braille Institute Youth Center. Since Craig's death, not only are the Long Pine Time Trials named in his memory, but the No Bucks autocross club, in conjunction with Cal Club SCCA, holds a memorial Solo event in tribute to his contributions as well.

Renee's contributions have not been taken for granted. Not only has she been recognized locally and regionally, but with one of the national SCCA's highest honors.

She was selected as the Worker of the Year for SCCA Pit and Grid and presented  the award at the 2009 National Championship Runoffs at Road Atlanta.

Renee wields a big, red stick a the
CSCC Novice Solo School on July 16, 2011.
Photo credit: Quoc-Viet Dang/Facebook

Always one to guide a newcomer, she never hesitated to offer a helping hand, be it as the representative of the No Bucks Solo Club or chairman of a Cal Club event. She attended conventions, mingling with other SCCA members from around the U.S., and her smile and husky laugh became well known.

"Along with all the volunteer work she did, Renee brought a lot of fun, an important element we often forget. RIP," wrote Kathy Barnes, former secretary of SCCA's Board of Directors. Barnes was also the chair of the Solo Events Board and for several Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals.

She was loved by all she touched, as evidenced in her Facebook profile, as well as the Pages of Cal Club and profile pages of her SCCA friends.

Area 11 Director and long-time San Diego Region member Mike Lewis recognized Renee for her efforts to the Southern Pacific Division in 2006 when he awarded her the John Lewis Award.

Lewis wanted to give something back to the SCCA workers who helped make his passion for racing possible. The award was set up to help fund a race worker’s trip to the Runoffs. After Lewis’s father, John Lewis, passed away, Mike Lewis changed the name of the award as an honor to his father who loved watching his son race. It was first awarded on March 14, 1993, at San Diego Region’s annual banquet and has been awarded every year since.

"Incredibly sad news. I knew it was bad, but she had battled so successfully so many times I half-expected her to pull this off too," Lewis wrote in an e-mail. "Another great loss to the club, but of course so much more to her friends and family. God’s speed Renee."

Renee Angel (second from right) at the LBGP with Mark
Ballenger, Ceci Smith, Joi Robinson and Linda Haneline.

Joe Benson, well known for his afternoon classic rock show on Los Angeles' KLOS 95.5 radio, and as the Voice of the Auto Club Speedway since it's 1997 opening was a friend of Renee's.

"I am so sad," wrote Benson via e-mail, "She was always so full of life, having fun and instigating shenanigans... love you Renee!"

Information about services is still undetermined at the time of this posting, but watch this blog and the SoPac Facebook page for updates.

"The family is postponing Renee's Celebration of Life until the end of January so that my brother Pete can attend," Laurie Angel said. "He is recuperating from a quadruple bypass he had earlier in the month. He is well, but not yet well enough to travel from Northern California."

"Thank you all for so much for your love and kindness and support," concluded Laurie Angel.

The following photos are compliments of Allan Coy.