Dear Council 12 Members,
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved AFA sister, Jan Heistermann, who left us peacefully on November 6, 2025, after a brief but courageous battle with sarcoma.
Jan’s light shone brightly across every corner of our profession. Her career began in 1963, and over the course of 40 years flying for United Airlines, she became known as a consummate professional, a respected Chief Purser, and a mentor whose calm strength and warmth were felt by everyone fortunate enough to work beside her. She flew from multiple bases throughout her career, including Honolulu, and ultimately from Los Angeles International Airport, a base and a community she deeply loved.
Her devotion to Flight Attendants extended far beyond the cabin. Jan was a passionate AFA-CWA advocate, serving on Council 12’s Grievance Committee and specializing on the Occupational Committee, where she fought tirelessly for injured Flight Attendants to reclaim their rightful place at work. She was fearless in the face of management, forging partnerships with attorneys and mediators to protect her flying partners’ livelihoods.
After her retirement in 2003, Jan continued to serve the profession she loved as President of the Retiree Association of Flight Attendants (RAFA). She became a trusted lifeline for retirees. She was always offering guidance, preserving connections, and ensuring that those who had given their careers to this profession remained engaged and protected. Her steady advocacy helped safeguard retiree health and travel benefits, and her efforts kept the bridge strong between active and retired members alike.
Beyond her union service, Jan’s heart was woven into the fabric of her community. She was active in the Fountain Valley Woman’s Club, the Fountain Valley Foundation, and numerous social and charitable groups, including bridge and bunco clubs. Most recently, she was helping to organize a local chapter of Clipped Wings, a philanthropic group of former Flight Attendants, a project sadly left unfinished at her passing, but one that perfectly reflected her lifelong instinct to bring people together.
Jan was also a passionate supporter of the arts and her community. She was a proud donor to local theater programs, including the Huntington Beach High School of Performing Arts and South Coast Repertory, and an accomplished needlework artist whose creations earned top honors at the Orange County Fair. Her artistic talent and her hospitality were legendary. Her gatherings brought people together, and many lifelong friendships began around her table.
Those who knew Jan best often described her as “the glue that kept us together.” Perhaps more fittingly, she was the magnet who drew us to one another in the first place. Her compassion, humor, and ability to connect people left a mark on every life she touched.
Jan’s legacy lives on in the strength of our union, in the countless Flight Attendants and retirees she helped along the way, and in the friendships she nurtured that continue today. She embodied everything that defines the spirit of AFA-CWA...Solidarity, Service, and Love for one another.
We do not yet have details regarding funeral or memorial arrangements, but we will share them as soon as they are available.
For now, let us remember Jan as she lived... with kindness in her heart, courage in her actions, and joy in her spirit. Her light will continue to guide us, always!