Born on July 1st 1945, Renee grew up in Otis, Massachusetts and graduated from Lee High School. She later moved to Delmar, NY where she raised her daughter Natalie and son Charles. Renee was a loving mom who guided strongly with soft hands. When her children were in their late teens, Renee went back to school and received her Nursing degree from State University of New York Institute of Technology in 1985. She started her nursing career at Albany Medical Center and then continued it at Albany VA Medical Center.
In 1999, Renee and her husband Ralph Fucito moved to Raleigh to be actively involved with her children and grandchildren. She worked in various positions at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, until retiring just a few months ago.
Throughout her life, Renee was a healthy, active and positive person. She enjoyed sailing, running and gardening, and loved spending time outdoors. She was an active member of a local Raleigh Running Group, The Fallon Park Garden Club and later many ALS Groups. Her passion for life and unyielding independence and self-reliance made this twist of fate an ironic test of the human spirit. Despite the enormous challenges of ALS, Renee’s positive outlook remained as bright as the moon she loved. Her genuine soul, big heart, unconditional love, and warm, beautiful smile greeted us all every day and will forever linger in our hearts and our memories.
Renee was preceded in death by her parents, E. Cherie Burrows and John Henry Burrows. She is survived by her husband, Ralph Fucito; sister, Vicki Piekos; brother, John Burrows; sister-in-law, Eileen Fucito; daughter, Natalie Long Kopitzke (Daniel Kopitzke); son, Charles L. Long V (Jodi Schwartz Long); step-daughters, Jennifer Friedman and Heather Dozier (Brian Dozier); niece, Lauri Piekos; and grandchildren, Alexandra and Zachary Krauss; Charlie, Erica and Jane Long; Harrison, Kendall and Katelyn Dozier; and Garrett Friedman.
A memorial service will be held in Raleigh, NC on Thursday, April 24th. Another service will take place in Otis, MA later in the Spring/Summer. Details for both services will be posted at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The ALS Association Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter. www.catfishchapter.org or http://webnc.alsa.org/goto/kzone
Arrangements under the direction of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Raleigh, North Carolina.
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