Jeanne Marie Rensel

Jeanne Marie Semark Rensel died at home in Olympia, Washington, on June 15, 2011, with family at her bedside through the support of Hospice. She was born July 9, 1920, in Monroe, Michigan. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, and did graduate work in biochemistry at Catholic University in Washington, DC; at the Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio; and at St. Martin College in Olympia. She received her Master's in Librarianship from the University of Washington in 1979. She married Paul Rensel in November 1942.

Jeanne worked as a chemist for the Washington State Highway Department before taking seventeen years "off" to bear and raise six children and volunteer in many church and community activities. Jeanne returned to work as a chemist for the federal and state water pollution control agencies and was instrumental in setting up a small technical library and information retrieval system, which became a branch of the Washington State Library. Jeanne worked as a librarian for the Washington State Department of Ecology from 1972-1981, and set up special collections for high and low-level nuclear waste reference centers thereafter.

Jeanne was a member of St. Michael Parish for over 64 years. She was active in the Thurston-Mason County Community Mental Health Center, served as a board member and grants writer for Olympia's Off-Campus School from 1982-1991, and was recognized as an "Unsung Heroine" for this work by the Thurston County Chapter of the Washington State Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1985. She and Paul were Oblates of St. Benedict, Eucharistic Visitors for the homebound, and members of the Live for Today support group for the seriously ill through the church.

Jeanne enjoyed her family, friends, Toastmasters, piano, book clubs, water aerobics, dancing, and travel, including an interfaith pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land and trips to England to research her family tree. In all of these activities as well as in her professional career, Jeanne made and enjoyed many lasting friendships.

After moving to Olympics West (OW) in late 2006, Jeanne played the piano for the OW sing-alongs led by her dear friend, Floyd Chrusoskie, as well as for the Old Towne Center choir performances at retirement residences around Western Washington. Jeanne's ability to play songs by ear and in any key made her an indispensable asset and she continued to provide accompaniment until just weeks before her death.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband Paul and son Matthew. She is survived by sons Jim (Brigitte), Jack (Ruth Milner), Mark (Jenny Silvernale), and Rob (Kady), her daughter Jan (Alan Howard), and daughter-in-law Cheri Rensel, as well as six grandchildren (Jeff, Erin [Dusty Vogelpohl], Sarah, Michelle, Leah, and Caroline) and two great-grandchildren (Ashley and Jason).