Obituaries
Obituary for Madelyn I. Renkes
MADELYN I. RENKES, 93, of Resthave Nursing Home, Morrison, IL, died Friday, October 12, 2007 at the nursing home. Madelyn was born April 6, 1914 in her grandmother"s home in Morrison, because her parents, Harold W. and Bessie G. (Tracy) Beswick, had homesteaded in Alberta, Canada, near a small village called Spring Coulee and her mother wanted Madelyn to be born in the United States. Madelyn returned to Canada with her parents and lived there for several years. Her mother did not like the rustic life in Canada and the family returned to Morrison to reside. Madelyn attended the Morrison schools and graduated from Morrison High School in 1932. When she was 7, she started piano lessons under Ludo Starbuck, who traveled by bus from Davenport, for many years. While in high school, she played piano for the chorus, played for many programs and several recitals in Davenport. While in high school, she was asked to play for the Methodist Church. The church only had a piano at first, and in 1929, they put in an organ. She took organ lessons from the Christian Science organist. She attended the Chicago Musical College in downtown Chicago where she lived in a dormitory and after one year returned to Morrison. She gave music lessons and was the only organist for the Methodist Church, until she retired after 78 years. She married Abe Renkes on Feb. 7, 1935 at her parent"s home and they celebrated their 50th anniversary, before Abe"s death on Jan. 18, 1986. She and Abe owned and operated the Renkes-Reynolds Funeral Home in Morrison. There was a music club in Morrison, where Madelyn and others would put on a music program for each other, once a month, and for the public, once a year. She made sure her children were involved in music and she accompanied them and many other students in school music contests. She has played for hundreds of weddings and thousands of funerals. She was a member of the Morrison United Methodist Church and belonged to the United Methodist Women where she was president for 17 years. She was a member of PEO-Chapter FL, and a member of DAR. She loved playing golf and spending time with her family and her poodle. Survivors include one daughter, Patricia (Mrs. Doug) Cassens of Morrison; two sons, Philip J. (Martha) Renkes of Morrison and David L. (Carol) Renkes of Delaware, OH; nine grandchildren, Steve Cassens, Lisa (Mrs. Dave) Bartels, Todd (Wendy) Cassens, Michael Renkes, Sarah Renkes, Chris Renkes, Scott Renkes, T.J. Ende, and Angela (Mrs. Bob) Hamilton; eleven great grandchildren, Shane Bielema, Joshua Bartels, Alexandra Cassens, Trevor Cassens, Drew Cassens, Conner Bartels, Eric Bartels, Britta Bartels, Jon Hamilton, Ryan Hamilton, and Matthew Hamilton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Abe; one daughter-in-law, Margaret Renkes; one grandson, Jeffrey Cassens; and one brother, Tracy L. Beswick.
FUNERAL SERVICE WHEN AND WHERE: 10:00 AM Tuesday " October 16, 2007 at the Morrison United Methodist ChurchOFFICIATING CLERGY Rev. Gary Curl " Pastor: Morrison United Methodist Church VISITATION 2:00 " 4:00 PM & 6:00 " 8:00 PM Monday " October 15, 2007 at the Morrison Chapel " Bosma-Renkes Funeral HomeINTERMENT Grove Hill Cemetery " Morrison, IL
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