Rena Erle (Bussell) Botkins

Rena Erle (Bussell) Botkins, age 89 of Hamilton Ohio went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday June 14, 2023, at approximately 11:11pm at her home at Golden Years Nursing Facility. Rena was born May 19, 1934, on Main Street in Hamilton Ohio to Lillian and Earl Bussell in a home on the Ruhl Farm near the present Sonic Drive in. She was raised in Hamilton except for a few years in the Fairfield area. She attended Jackson Grade School, Wilson Jr High, and then graduated from Hamilton High School in 1952. Rena married Don Trumbull in 1954 and together they were blessed with four boys, Donald (Melissa “Missy”) Trumbull, Michael (Karla) Trumbull, Randy (Marcia) Trumbull, and Christopher (Magdalene) Trumbull. After her divorce from Don in 1961, she later married Troy Botkins, whom she met in 1964. Her husband Troy preceded her in death in 1981. Rena is survived by her children and daughter in laws, her sister Shirley Mueller, brother-in-law Michael Mueller (Sissy and Bro), Grandchildren Sara Naff (Justin Sowers), Courtney (Eric) Pheneger and baby Pheneger on the way, Justin Trumbull, Rebecca (Jordan) Coffey, Phillip (Nicole)Trumbull, Shawn (Courtney) Trumbull, Joshua (Jessica) Trumbull, great grandchildren Emma Naff, Hailey Naff, Thea Coffey, Sawyer Coffey, Julia Trumbull, and Noah Trumbull. Her Nephews David Mueller, Randy (Katie) Mueller and Great Nieces and Nephews Chris Mueller, Rachel Mueller, Lizzie (Orex) Reyna, Lucy Burton, Hannah Mueller, Olivia Mueller, Isabelle Mueller, and Ethan Mueller. She is also survived by her Bussell cousins, many friends, church family and her Golden Years and Fresenius family. Rena was loved by all who knew her. She had a way of making everyone feel special and always admired their beauty. She was a gifted typist in her secretary days whom she would often tell that others would tell her to slow down, she was making them look bad. She was a gifted pianist who at an early age was recognized by her teachers who would often exclaim to her parents how impressive she was. She acquired many accolades in music and later in life would give thanks for her mother making her sit and practice. She developed the gift of playing by ear and could play anything whether sheet music was available or not. She knew many songs by heart and that made her valuable to many places. She was a woman of deep faith, a prayer warrior who believed and experienced the power of prayer and healing in her life. After a major accident in 1949 at age 16 when a city bus hit her and pushed her into a house, she persevered in recovery and even walked and gave birth to children, which was something the doctors told her she might never do. This is one of her “examples” of the power of prayer. Rena worked for Dollar Federal after High School, a Finance Company, then Fort Hamilton Hospital in the Record Room, Dr Glenn, Eye Doctor, then to Ohio Casualty until her retirement at age 60. She later worked for Park Avenue United Methodist as secretary before completely retiring to spend more time with her family. Rena was raised at the Bevis Pilgrim Holiness church which became Bevis Wesleyan then Grace Wesleyan. She attended Park Avenue United Methodist from 1994 until 2009 when she moved to Seven Mile Methodist with Chris and Maggie when they accepted a pastoral position. In 2014 she went on the road again with Chris to Darrtown and McGonigle Millville Methodist and then with Maggie to Christ, Prince of Peace in Colerain alternating her visits each week and even occasionally joining her son Don in his Dayton Area churches. She loved her large church family. Even when moving to Golden Years, she went to church every Sunday and still often played the piano for special music and would show up occasionally on Monday night for Cousin Don Bussell’s Monday night Music Jam at his house until Covid, which she survived, left her unable to be in her wheelchair and go by car. There are many things we could say as these thoughts are just a few glimpses of her life. How blessed we are to know she meant so much to so many even in her final days. Visitation will be at Webb Noonan Kidd Funeral Home from 5 to 8 pm Wednesday June 21, 2023. Her Celebration of life will be held Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 11am at Darrtown United Methodist 4309 Walnut in Darrtown Ohio. Burial will follow the service in Millville Cemetery. Pastor Joe Mears of the Grace Wesleyan Church will be officiating. Memorials for Rena may be made to Darrtown United Methodist Building Fund. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.webb-noonan.com for the Botkins family.