Donita Lucretia (Wilson) Rennick, 86, of Casper, Wyoming, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 24, 2021 after a short battle with Covid, while sharing a hospital room with her youngest daughter.
Donita, born on February 17,1935 to Donald E and Mary Ann Wilson, at home near Wheatland, Wyoming, was one of five children. When she was twelve years old, neighbors invited her to a revival meeting in Wheatland, Wyoming, where she received Jesus as her Savior even though it seemed she always knew God was real. Although moving quite a bit throughout childhood, Donita went on the graduate from high school in Moxee, Washington, as salutatorian of her class of 41 students. After graduating from high school, she married James J. "Jimmy" Rennick and moved to Casper, Wyoming.
They started a family almost immediately, first born, Judith, followed by James Theodore, John Fredrick, Daniel Edward and Zantha. After the first two children, they purchased property, built a house and moved to Meadow Acres (where she lived until 1999). She then learned to drive and live the country life that makes us who we are. Country life… yes, she learned, taught and raised five children, all the while cooking, cleaning, sewing for her family and later for herself, embroidering, painting and helping with gardening, canning and animals, etc.
Aside from her faith, her family was the most important thing in her life. Donita loved being a mother, mother in law, grandmother and great grandmother. She was a kind daughter, daughter in law, sister, sister in law and aunt to many. With God's grace, she loved us well and we all knew it.
The Rennicks were very involved in different stages of Highland Park Church from the beginning in people's homes to other locations including the first building at 10th and Washington where Donita painted the Jordan River on the wall of the baptistry. Donita also helped with the youth in those early years as one who was young at heart herself. As she grew older she was also involved in Senior Adult Ministries and other Bible studies with Highland
Park people until the end of her life. Also, their Celebrate Recovery program where she was very affectionately known as the "cookie lady", making many types of cookies, but her specialty cookie was her Soft Molasses Ginger Cookie. Making cookies was an important ministry for her at CR, so when a friend asked her to put her cookies in our local fair at age 81 we were thrilled to find that she had won the big, purple ribbon for Culinary Sweepstakes for all cookies presented in 2016. She also received 1st place for ginger cookies at the Wyoming State Fair. Her ginger cookies were known and loved by many down through the years. Donita was predeceased by her husband, James J. Rennick; her son John Fredrick Rennick; her parents, Donald and Mary Wilson; her brother Jack Wilson and sister Rosemary Woolsey. She is survived by her sister Darlene Rexius and brother Eldon Wilson; daughter Judith (William) O'Connell; son, James (Cindy) Rennick (Adam/Kelsey, Alli/Eric, Nikki/Kala, Jake); son Daniel (Jackie) Rennick (Joshua/Becca, Jacob/Kayla, Josiah); daughter Zantha Miller (Hannah, Nathan); daughter in law Marlene Rennick (Anthony, Jessica, Morgan) and 10 great grand children and many nephews and nieces.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Donita L. Rennick's name to nami.org. A celebration of life will be held, Saturday, November 6, 2021, 10am at Newcomers Funeral Home, 710 E. 2nd St, Casper WY 82601.
Service will be live streamed for those unable to attend, please use the link below:
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