Lorena "Renie" Zeller Bonnaffons

Lorena, affectionately known as Renie, Red Pop, and Grams, was the cherished wife of Gerald Bonnaffons and the heart of a sprawling family tree, with six children, 18 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, all of whom she made feel like her favorite. Lorena was born on July 24, 1939, and passed away at the age of 84 on June 6, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.

Filled with faith and sacrifice, Gerald and Renie regularly attended mass at Resurrection of Our Lord in New Orleans East, filling the entire pew, and even with limited funds, made it a priority to send their children to Catholic schools. Education and the successful careers of her four daughters and two sons was a source of pride for Renie.

Renie possessed a rare gift for connecting with people, whether family, neighbors, or strangers, and was always ready to chat. Renie cherished her relationships, especially with her sister Paulette, and was the beloved Aunt Renie to countless others who sought her wisdom and warmth. She loved to travel and was able to visit many places, people, and countries throughout her life. Despite battling health issues, she embraced life fully, never missing a celebration or family gathering, and especially loved playing her “cootie” group dice games with her former neighbors who met regularly for over 50 years.

As a diehard New Orleanian, Renie embraced the food, music, and culture of the city. Mardi Gras was her favorite “season”. Throughout her life she loved to dress in theme. In recent years, the family was a sea of Smurfs, Emojis, Mouseketeers, Minions, and more yelling “Throw me something”. Even through the destruction of her house in New Orleans by Katrina and eventual move to Slidell, Renie never lost exuberance for life and her city. She took it all in stride.

Two of Renie's great passions were music and sports. She grew up in a family recognized by their red hair, a lifelong source of pride for Renie, who all shared a penchant for singing and a competitive spirit on the field. As a Zeller child, she joined several siblings singing at local events around New Orleans. As a mom, she filled the house with music, singing, dancing, and watching musicals. Attending plays with her daughters and grandchildren were special events over the years and provided lasting memories for us all. Gerald and Red Pop, as Gerald called her, shared many dances together from dating all the way through to a special dance on their 60th anniversary. The cha-cha was a particular favorite.

Renie was consumed with sports, absolutely any sport. When her children were young, she was often at DiBenedetto playground playing and watching games, with a particular fondness for cabbage ball. As years progressed, “Grams” attended and cheered for her grandchildren in any and every sports competition. She enjoyed professional and college sports too and was passionate about her New Orleans teams. Her ability to keep up with player details and game stats would impress even the most avid fans. Her zest for life even extended to shopping, where she found joy in browsing, finding good deals, and buying gifts for others. As a Mom and a Grams, she was really good at selecting the perfect gifts.

Gerald and Renie’s enduring love is a beacon of strength, celebrating 60 years of marriage marked by devotion and care for each other and their family. Though she may have left this world, Lorena's legacy of love and laughter lives on in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her, especially those blessed to call her Mom and Grams.

Lorena was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Emma Schroeder Zeller, siblings Francis, Earlene, Lloyd, Roland, Billy, Patsy, and Paulette. She is survived by her siblings Bobby and Sidney, her husband Gerald, her children Cheryl “Minnie” (Tim), David (Nancy), Michelle (AJ), Stacy (Alex), Elaine (Scott), Brett (Brittany) and grandchildren, Blake (Caroline), Kyle, Danielle, Gabrielle, Nathan, Nicholas, Aimee, Austin, Luke, Zachary, Emma, Grant, Grace, Lorena, Julia, Braden, Jimmie, Mya and three great grandchildren Halleigh, Tritt, and Lainey Jo.

Visitation will be at St. Agnes Church, 3310 Jefferson Hwy. Jefferson, LA on Saturday, June 15th beginning at 9:30, with memories shared by family members at 11:30, and a funeral mass at 12:00. Burial will immediately follow at St. Louis cemetery #3 on Esplanade. To honor Renie, live life to the fullest, don’t dwell on hardships, play music, sing, dance, root for your team, laugh (even at yourself), and start a game night with friends.

Donations may be made in Lorena’s name to St. Michaels Special School in New Orleans, Cabrini High School, or a charity of your choice.