Jill Rene Ridgel Elsa
1963-2017

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Jill Rene Ridgel was born on March 7, 1963, in Bellflower, Calif., to Lawrence and Shirley Ridgel, and was welcomed home by her three older sisters that she adored so much, Linda, Lori and Susan.

The family lived in Westminster, Calif., until Jill was about 3 years old, when they made the journey to Lakeport, Calif., in the spring of 1966.

Jill attended school in Lakeport and was a graduate at Clear Lake High School’s class of 1980. While living in Lakeport, Jill met and later married Dennis Elsa, also of Lakeport.

In the mid 1980s the two started their family with the birth of their firstborn Matthew Lawrence in 1983, followed by their second son Mark Allan in 1984 and finally, their third son Tyler Robert in 1990. Although Dennis and Jill went their separate ways in the mid 2000s, she was forever grateful to him for giving her, her most cherished things in life, her sons.

Jill worked for the Lakeport Unified School District as a teacher’s aid and yard duty attendant for many years, and later at a family friend’s business, Costless in Lakeport, up until her son Mark passed away from cancer in 2008.

Jill’s passion in life was her family, especially her children. Whether it was her kids, grandkids, sisters, nephews and nieces, or whomever close to her, those were the most important things in her life.

In mid 2016, unfortunately, Jill was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, almost two weeks to the day from the eighth anniversary of the death of her son, Mark. Although the diagnosis rattled Jill, she was determined to fight for not only herself but also her family, and that’s exactly what she did, she fought valiantly for almost two years against cancer. She had many ups and downs, but she never let it change her goals of staying around for her family, especially her sons Matthew and Tyler, and also her grandchildren.

Jill experienced a setback in December 2017, which would require her to have brain surgery right before the Christmas holiday, but the surgeon told her he could have her through physical therapy and home before Christmas, and that’s what made her determined to get through that as well. Unfortunately that was not the case, just eight days before Christmas Jill was called home to Heaven with all her sons with her, Matthew and Tyler at her side and Mark at the gate waiting to greet her and welcome her home. Daughter-in-law Nicole Elsa and nephew Lee Guerrero also were by her bedside.

Jill is joined in Heaven by her father, Lawrence Ridgel; son, Mark Elsa; and “GrandDog,” Jake.

Jill is survived by her mother, Shirley Ridgel of Lakeport; sons, Matthew Elsa (Nicole) and Tyler Elsa, both of Lakeport; sister and best friend, Linda Ridgel of Lakeport; sisters, Lori Ridgel and Susan Garrison (John), both of Lakeport; grandchildren, Shane Hitchcock (Ruby), Brandon Tobin, Jacob Elsa, Teylor Tobin, Mason Elsa and Cameron Elsa; “GrandDogs,” Chloe and Buster who she adored; nieces and nephews, Lindsay Stovall (Josh), Breeann Arviso (Anthony), Mikaela Meaney, Lee Guerrero, Leah Guerrero, Kalyn Garrison, Kevin Garrison and Jason Garrison; and great-nieces and nephews, Emily Stovall, Layla Guerrero, Noah McCarty, Liam McCarty, Kian Arviso and Trevor Dolley.

The family will be holding a celebration of life for Jill sometime this spring, where friends and family can gather and share all their special memories of Jill.

The family would like to thank doctors and nurses of the Sutter Pacific Medical Center Oncology Department in Santa Rosa and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

Finally, and most important, the family thanks Serena, the registered nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s ICU. Serena, if you’re reading this by chance, you blew our expectations out of the water. You are amazing at what you do, not only to help patients but also the way you comfort families, just like you did ours during this difficult time, our mother would’ve LOVED you, and we would not have wanted anyone else, except you to be the one caring for our mother as she prepared to make her final journey home, to Heaven. Thank you so much!

For updates on Jill’s celebration of life, please email her son Tyler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..