Rena Olschner

RENA HAZEL (nee WOLFE) OLSCHNER, 92, of St. Louis, Missouri, passed away Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at The Willows in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

She was born to the late John A and Lila DeJennie (nee Shobe) Wolfe on January 14, 1925 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  She attended the University of Tulsa and Oklahoma State University and then trained in Medical Technology at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. At that time, she met Paul Q. Olschner and they married in Tulsa, Oklahoma on September 3, 1949. They were married for 60 years until Paul’s death on April 16, 2010. Rena and Paul exuded a love for each other that many remarked on. Paul worked as a Professional Engineer for Westinghouse for 40 years. Rena stated that her greatest ambition in life was to be a great wife and mother. She was both. Whether she was cooking delicious meals, hosting birthday parties, saying “I love you” every day, or dinner out with Paul, Rena’s focus was on caring for her family.

Once when Rena was asked what she’d like on her tombstone she said, “She served.” Rena did live a life of service. She was a faithful member of Richmond Heights Presbyterian Church, Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, and First Free Church. For many years she drove each month to Tipton, Missouri to visit the women inmates at the Missouri State Penitentiary. For over 40 years, one of her great joys was loaning their Colorado vacation home to people in Christian ministry. In her eighties, Rena went regularly to a local nursing home to read to the residents there. Rena’s deep passion was to live as a faithful follower of Jesus.

A year before Paul’s death, Rena’s Alzheimer’s Disease prevented her from caring for Paul in his declining health and so they moved to Chester, Illinois to live with their daughter, Mary. After three years she began rotating living with each of her four children, which she did for two years. Starting in 2014, she lived with her daughter, Paula, in Minneapolis. For the past two years she has lived nearby in a memory care home.

Survivors:

4 Children:                    Susy (Phil) Downer                   Signal Mountain, TN

Paula (Bob) Gilbert                   Minneapolis, MN

Tom (Robin) Olschner              Denver, CO

Mary (Roy) Wunderlich            Chester, IL

15 Grandchildren:          Mark (Chandra ) Gilbert, Abigail (Sam) Downer Bray,                                                               Andy (Stacy) Gilbert, Paul (Rachel) Downer, Timothy                                                                 (Alisha) Gilbert, Matthew (Amber) Downer, Anna (Sam)                                                             Youngs, Joshua Downer, Alec (Carrie) Olschner, Kevin                                                              (Annalisa) Wells, John Paul Wunderlich, Hannah                                                                        Wunderlich, Susanna Downer, Noah Wunderlich, and Peter                                                         Olschner

23 Great Grandchildren

1 Sister-in-law:             Virginia Wolfe                          Collinsville, OK

Many Nieces and Nephews

Preceded in death by               Parents, Husband – Paul, 1 – Brother – James Wolfe and 1 Great Granddaughter - Alayna Grace Gilbert

Funeral Service:                      11:30 am, Saturday, September 30, 2017

First Free Church

1375 Carmen Road, Ballwin, MO  63021

Message by:                            Rev. Phil Downer

Interment:                              6:00 pm, Saturday, September 30, 2017

New Palestine Cemetery

8781 Shawneetown Trail

Walsh, Illinois 62297

With Fr. Paul Downer presiding

Visitation:                                Saturday – 10:00 am – 11:30 am

First Free Church, St. Louis, Missouri