Rena Marie Johannes

Rena, age 100 and 10 months, died August 7, 2013, in Arvada, Colorado. She was born Oct. 30, 1912, in Burleigh County, Ecklund Township, North Dakota, on the Holden farm, number 6 of 12 children to Albert E. Holden (English/Irish ancestry) and Helga (Andersson/Anderson) Holden (Swedish ancestry).

She graduated from Wilton High School in Wilton, North Dakota. On December 10, 1933, she married Glen Peter Johannes in Billings, Montana. In 1998, he preceded her in death.

Rena is survived by one daughter Maryann (Johannes) Gold-Weidler, who was born February 9, 1941, and her husband Robert.

Her brothers and sisters are Archie, Ivan, Lillian (Mrs. Wallace Anderson), Vearl, Paul, Harry, Sarah (Mrs. Vince Sherman), Norman, Guy, Esther (Mrs. Max McMullen) and Violet (Mrs. Robert Lowery)………(At this writing, August 10, 2013, Guy, Esther and Violet remain alive.)

Her life, spanning over a century, included the following:

1912-1933: Burleigh County, North Dakota…born and raised

1933-1951: Ballantine, Montana…owned two grocery stores

1951-1954: Sheridan, Wyoming…owned one grocery store

1954-1957: Grand Junction, Colorado…owned one motel

1957-1969: Denver, Colorado…owned two grocery stores

1969-1992: Denver, Colorado…worked in a lady’s dress shop

1992-2008: Retired in Denver, Colorado

2008-2013: In Assisted Living and Nursing Homes in Westminster/Arvada, Colorado

Rena’s hobbies were ballroom dancing, reading, gardening, Bingo, traveling by car, golf, sewing and cooking. She was a member of the First Congregational Church and was a 70-year member of Montana Order of the Eastern Star.

She was best known for being hard-working, loyal, caring, fashion-conscious, devoted to family, lover of music, theatre, movies and poodles.

Rena had two unfulfilled dreams, to become a nurse and to have grandchildren.

Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 pm Tuesday at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary. Funeral Services will be 10:00 am Wednesday at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary with interment in the Chapel Hill Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Foothills Kiwanis Club Foundation to be used for “Canopy of Stars” Service Dogs, 4650 Shawnee Pl., Boulder, CO 80303.