Renee Wheeler Karren

Renee Wheeler Karren passed away on July 17, 2023, at the age of 95. She went quietly to the other side with family visiting with her. She was born on June 8, 1928, in Lewiston, Utah to Athel LaMonte Wheeler and Nelda Jackson. She grew up as a little girl by herself until her brother Gary L. Wheeler joined her. Life on the farm taught her how to drive a team of horses. Families in those days took Saturday afternoons off to go watch the baseball teams play and many other family activities.

After WWII, at the age of 18, she met Ralph Sidney Karren who had returned from Guam while serving with the Navy Sea Bees in the South Pacific. They were married in the Logan Temple in December 1946 and were married for 70 years.

Sid and she raised a family of five: Bruce (Alice), Greg (Joyce) [Beverly deceased], Vicki (Michael) [deceased], Troy (Della), and Penny. Their posterity now numbers over 176 individuals in the family.

She remembers going to the Salt Lake Airport and climbing up a ladder on the side of the control tower as a young girl to watch the airplanes come and go. In 1957, the family took a three-day trip to Bear Lake. On the second day of the vacation, a phone call came. An electrical fire had started in the old barn and 40 cows died.

Renee and Sid operated the Lewiston Theater for 16 years. Sid worked at the Sugar Factory during the winter and was the city recorder for Lewiston City. Renee did what needed to be accomplished during the day on the farm and then did her housework when everyone went to bed.

She has loved music all her life. One of her favorite songs she has written was entitled: “Listen – Seek Not to Counsel the Lord”. Joseph Fielding Smith came and brought his wife Jesse Evans to Lewiston to dedicate the church building. Sister Evans handed the music to Renee at age 12 to play while she sang “He That Has Clean Hands and A Pure Heart”. Music has
touched her life for over 90 plus years. Her children all had music lessons and dance lessons. She took a music course from Sherwood in Chicago and received a certificate to teach music.

She took pride in having 17 Eagle Scouts in the family. Very seldom did she miss attending her children’s activities. She has dedicated her life to service and helping others. Sid and she had the opportunity to take a cruise to the Caribbean with the Farm Bureau. She served many years as an Officiator in the Logan Temple alongside her husband. After all of this, a doctor said she was not built to have children and she should never have had any.

Legacies are made by the records one keeps and she has maintained binders for years to share with her family and friends. Well done thou good and faithful servant. A common saying, she used, “You can do it!”

Funeral Services will be Friday the 21st at 1:30 pm with a viewing from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Lewiston 3rd and 4th Ward building at 160 South Main in Lewiston. The family would like to express a special thanks to Jason and Julie Trexler, Lacie Hansen, Debbie Kimber, all the healthcare professionals that have cared for her. Lewiston 3rd Ward Relief Society for their compassionate service and Allen-Hall Mortuary for their assistance. Anyone wishing to contribute to her memory may do so to the LDS Missionary Fund.

Condolences and memories may be expressed online at www.allenmortuaries.com .