Due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Heidi Joy Sielaff Ranney slipped from this life into the arms of God on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
She was born in Madison, Wisconsin, March 19, 1958, into the Christian family of Oscar Richard Sielaff and Gloria Joyce Rodiger Sielaff. She joined older siblings Stephen Frederick, Deborah Joyce and Suzanne Jane.
Oscar worked for the Bell System and was transferred to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1959. Not wanting to live in a big city, Gloria requested the family move into a small town within commuting distance for Oscar’s work in Minneapolis. So they built a home in Princeton, Minnesota, where brother Daniel Richard joined the family in 1961. Heidi’s first words were Mama, Dada and horse! No one could figure out where her obsession came from, as the last horse in the family was sold when they purchased their first Model T Ford.
In 1963, Oscar was transferred again to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the family moved into a new development on the west side of town in front of the Garden of the Gods. Brother Timothy Mark joined the family in 1965. Heidi invited Jesus into her heart at 9 years of age, and is so thankful for God’s love and protection throughout her life. Heidi loved being outside and pretending she was a horse. In those days parents didn’t have to worry about children being absconded with, so Heidi and her siblings were allowed to roam the Garden of the Gods all day, as long as they were home in time for dinner. Heidi attended school in Colorado Springs from kindergarten through 10th grade. In 1973, Oscar was transferred again to Denver. He commuted for a year and then decided to relocate to Denver suburb, Arvada in 1974.
She purchased her first horse that fall, and got a job at Taco Bell to support it. She embraced her parents’ rules that her school grades couldn’t suffer and if her job got in the way she’d have to sell her horse. She graduated in the top 20% of her class, was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated from Arvada West High School in 1976.
Not knowing what she was wanting for a career, she never went to college. While her passion in life was horses, she attended a riding school program for a year. She managed a small Arabian breeding farm for a short period of time, realizing she needed a “real job” in order to afford and compete with a horse of her own. Her professional life led to a variety of jobs including: Solar Energy Research Institute, working undercover for a private investigator, working in the automotive industry, welding/gas supply company, security equipment company, high tech electric motor re-manufacture (this is where she met her husband Tim), oil/gas company whose owner developed re-fracking technology, and a design/build architectural company — all in Denver.
She and Tim had an off/on relationship for 8-1/2 years. The company Tim worked for in Denver was purchased by a company in Corvallis in 1998, and he moved to Philomath during an off period in their relationship. She and Tim reconnected and married in November 2001, and she ended up working for G.E. Security in Corvallis, which was the company that purchased Tim’s original Corvallis employer. G.E. eventually shut down the Corvallis facility and moved to Salem, Heidi commuted for several years before giving up on landing a full-time position. Her last position was managing the Philomath Scout Lodge rental venue for nearly seven years, which she really enjoyed.
She owned and competed her horses in combined training, Appaloosa breed Hunter (where she earned top 10 in the nation over fences for two years) but her passion was always dressage. She earned her bronze medal from the United States Dressage Federation in 1998, and was half way through her silver medal requirements. She purchased a young/talented horse just prior to getting married, with the goal of eventually finishing her silver medal with him. Unfortunately, she lost him to colic the same week she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2011.
God blessed Heidi with a surgeon who was a believer who prayed with her and Tim at every appointment and surgery. In surgery, the pathologist discovered a second cancer (ovarian), but both varieties were very early, so Heidi did not have to go through chemo and radiation therapies. Tim had many physical challenges stemming from a snowmobile accident before he was 30 years old. Heidi was very thankful that she had the physical strength to be able to support him through the majority of his 22 orthopedic surgeries.
Her initial ALS symptoms started in October 2020, and by October 2021 her symptoms had advanced enough that she needed to retire and go on Social Security disability. In September of 2021, Heidi was diagnosed with ALS. While this was a heavy burden to bear, she chose to live each day with trust and faith in God. Her faith, strength, and courage was evident to everyone who came in contact with her as she progressed in her journey with this disease.
The ALS Association proved to be a lifeline during this time. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in Heidi’s name to help support other families in their own journey with ALS. (ALS Northwest, 825 NE Multnomah St. #940, Portland, OR 97232.)
Heidi is pre-deceased by her mother, Gloria in 1994; father, Oscar in 2020; and brother, Daniel in 2011.
A celebration of life will be held at Suburban Christian Church Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 1 p.m.