Birth date: Mar 9, 1943 Death date: Jan 23, 2021
RaNae Jean Bair Seaman, 77, passed away January 23, 2021, after a battle with Cancer, surrounded with love from family and staff at Villa Lorena Assisted Living. RaNae was born on March 9, 1943 to the late Glen and Melba Bair. Ra Read Obituary
Sadly read today about RaNae’s passing. I was on her 1960’s/70’s track team the San Diego Lacerettes. She taught me how to throw the javelin and be successful. I still have her Javelin shoes from 1968 Olympics she gave me. May her memory be a blessing. It is for me💕
Attended Madison High in the late 1980's
She was my track coach. She was turf but fair. I wish I had told her I appreciated her time that she spent coaching. I didn't realize what she taught
me about myself til years later. She pushed us on our warm ups & cool downs.
I learned my breaking point. Just to do one more rep. The gutt busters were the worst. The leg stretches I still do when I have a chance.
Thank you Mrs. Seaman for the gift of doing your best.
Can't wait to see you on the other side
I went to Mission Bay High a few years after Bair-Seaman. Taking a stroll on Pacific Beach a little before dusk I saw a woman running and then throwing a javelin on a deserted section of beach. I soon learned who she was, and saw her a few more times on my walks. It felt incredible to watch an Olympic quality athlete practice. Very elegant to watch. Go in peace RaNae.
I first became acquainted with Ms. Seaman when in 10th grade I wanted to play basketball at Madison High school. She taught an early morning conditioning type class that several of us girls were told we should take. We did. It was hard, but got us into shape! "No pain, no gain!" will always remind me of Ms. Seaman. She was tough, but you definitely cared what she thought! And she was fair, and really took in interest in you as a person. She expected your best, but gave her all as well. After high school, I married and moved away, only to come back to SD and met up with her in church situations and playing volleyball on Wednesday or Friday mornings. It took me years, YEARS to be able to call her anything but Ms. Seaman. We were not in the same ward, but whenever I did see her I made a point to say hi and ask how she was doing. I loved it when a few maybe 6-8 years ago we were at girls camp together and in the same cabin. Who would have ever thought that would happen?!?! It was awesome! She truly became such an inspiration to me. I'll never forget her sharing her testimony of the Book of Mormon with me. We both had tears in our eyes. Now we miss her. I wish we could play just one more game of volleyball! Until we meet again! Miss you my friend!
Kathy (Robinson) Mendenhall
So very sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Seaman. When I think back to my teenage and young adult years I always think of her with a smile on my face. She was a strong, fair and wonderful person to be around! She was quick to smile and laugh and I can still picture that smile! After I graduated high school I was able to stay in touch and even house sat for her a few times while she went out of town with family. Boy did she love her doggies! Always dachshunds back then and I had to be sure to give them a lot of love while they were gone! She was just such a good lady. Heaven got a good one when she showed up. Rest in peace Coach Seaman-never could get used to calling you RaNae.
RaNae Bair was our Track coach and advisory at Madison. Always an inspiration. I so looked up to her. Always practicing the javelin after school. She led me too thinking I could do great things. When she went to the 68 Olympics she brought me back autographs..including Wyomia Tyus. Still have them. Special special woman. Rest in peace. ❤️
She was my coach in the seventies. She was an inspirational mentor, teacher.
The lessons and discipline she taught me have followed me my entire life.
I became a coach because of her.
Truly a Champion.
I was a student athlete of Ms. Seaman in high school over 20 years ago. She was my volleyball coach and I am who I am today because of HOW she coached. She was tough, fair, kind, supportive and everything you could ask for in a mentor. She made you a better person. Not just an athlete. To this day, I still remember this quote that she shared and I have lived by it and passed it on over the years:
"You have a choice to make, in everything you do. Just always keep in mind, the choice that you make... makes YOU."
Thank you Ms. Seaman for being an inspiration. I am grateful to have known you.
Jennifer
We’ve been friends for around 30 years.
I first met RaNae in the late 80’s through church sports. She would come play softball with us when we had organized stake sports. She was good at every sport she played. She was a great team player, never upset with us when we made mistakes, but encouraging us to become better.
Anne Faber (RaNae’s visiting teacher) was instrumental in getting RaNae to volunteer to work at the temple open house. Claudia Warner was Relief Society President at the time, I never heard the story from RaNae, but Anne had told me the the temple open house was the spark that led RaNae back to activity in the church. When RaNae went through the temple to receive her endowment, Alan and I were the witness couple for that session. It was a memorable day.
RaNae continued to participate in church sports and even spoke at one of our Sports Banquets. It was then I learned of her love of the Olympics and also her country. About this time, JoyLynn Lee and I organized a volleyball team to play in a city league. We played down in Balboa Park for several years. Other team members included Nancy Collins, Tricia Sutherland, Erin Morris, Carla McMullin, and Sue Lockhart. We enjoyed playing together and even played in a Rancho Bernardo league for a couple of years too.
RaNae was involved in girls camp for many years, I believe it was Claudia Warner who got RaNae involved. RaNae planned a lot of fun team building activities for the girls to participate in. Her last year helping with camp, she cross stitched bookmarks with the camp theme for all the girls and leaders (I’m guessing there may have been close to 200 people there.)
I served in a Primary Presidency twice with RaNae. She loved serving in Primary. She loved the children, they brought a smile to her face! RaNae told me once that Primary was her favorite calling.
Once RaNae retired, she became a regular at Wednesday and Friday morning volleyball. She would open the building and set up the net when I was out of town. Once, she surprised us all with matching t-shirts, we had about 20 women playing at that time. During several summers, she ran youth volleyball. She taught skills, ran drills and then the youth would play “King of the Court.” She was the Stake Women’s/Young Women’s Sports Director for several years. In addition to volleyball, she introduced us to some new sports including volley tennis, badminton and pickle ball. RaNae was always generous with her time and talents.
It’s been a privilege to know her, she taught me many things about sports and life in general. She made an impact in my life and the lives of many others.
Melanie Bird
