Mina Renae Nelson

Mina Renae Nelson passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 29, 2025, in Napa, California.
Renae was born on October 24, 1936, and grew up in Baker City, Oregon. She was baptized and raised in
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She moved to Napa with her new husband, Robert Allen Nelson, where she raised her four daughters in
the Bel Aire neighborhood. Summers were spent at the family trailer at Lake Berryessa, water skiing,
swimming, and enjoying time with friends and family.
When her youngest daughter started school full time, Renae began driving a school bus for NVUSD. She
continued driving throughout her children’s school years before later moving to San Ramon and working
for AT&T.
After retiring from AT&T, Renae helped each of her daughters care for their children in meaningful ways.
Time with Grandma often felt like a year-round summer camp.
Renae was wonderfully artistic. She enjoyed playing the piano, painting with oils and water-based paints
on canvas, porcelain, and ceramic pottery, and creating through knitting, crocheting, and sewing. She
seemed able to make beautiful art from almost anything. Renae also had a joyful sense of adventure and
loved activities such as water skiing and even belly dancing.
Renae was a loving and caring mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She is deeply
missed.
She is survived by her sister, Carolynn Jolliffe of Napa, California; her brother, Berry Hottel of Redding,
California; and her three daughters, Kassandra (Greg) Wright of Carson City, Nevada, Victoria Hein of
Deer Park, California, and Robin Nelson of Memphis, Tennessee. She is also survived by six
grandchildren: Colton (Marci) Wright, Wyatt (Erin) Wright, Kyle Patterson, Leigh Hein, Cassidy (James)
Gammello, and Alex Wood; and six great-grandchildren: Kaiden Patterson, Tyler Wright, Sage Wright,
Bailey Wright, Bryce Wright, and Abigail Gammello.
Renae was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Rebecca Platt Hottel; her sister, Mary Kay
Billings Colburn; her brothers, Hugh and John Hottel; her daughter, Paula Nelson; her son-in-law, Paul E.
Hein Sr.; and her grandsons, Paul E. Hein Jr. and Ryan M. Patterson.
Renae’s ashes will be placed with her daughter, Paula, and her brother, Hugh, at Tulocay Cemetery, 411
Coombsville Road, Napa, California, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. The graveside service is
open to friends and family. No formal reception is planned; however, anyone who would like to gather for
lunch afterward is welcome to join the family at Hop Creek Pub, 3253 Browns Valley Road, Napa,
California, at 1:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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