John Renes

John Renes, 74, of Sioux Center, IA died unexpectedly Saturday, May 31, 2014, at his Sioux Center residence. A visitation will be held on Friday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 6-8PM at Carmel Reformed Church of rural Rock Valley. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Saturday at 10:00AM at the Carmel Church of rural Rock Valley. Interment will follow the prayer service in Carmel Cemetery of rural Rock Valley. A memorial service will be held on Saturday at 11:00AM at Carmel Reformed Church of rural Rock Valley with Rev. Roger Voskuil officiating. In lieu of flowers or gift items, the Renes family prefers memorial contributions to the Carmel Reformed Church Video Equipment Project. John Renes was born on February 5, 1940, to Geraldine (Dykstra) and Jake Renes near Maurice, Iowa. John grew up on a dairy farm one mile west of Carmel. John attended country school at Plato No. 5 and went on to Sioux Center High School. When he was in high school, he made the tough decision to leave school, because his dad had been diagnosed with a heart condition which affected his ability to work full time. Unless John left school to help out more, the family would have to move to town and no longer farm. John married Janet Gayer on August 6, 1959. They lived, worked, and raised their children on the family farm until 2003 when they retired and moved to Sioux Center. John had been a member and actively involved in the church family at Carmel Reformed Church for most of his life. John is remembered by his family and friends for his gentle demeanor and his big heart. He had a quick smile, an easy laugh, and although he wasn't the loudest person in the room, he was known to contribute to a conversation with funny and well-timed one-liners. John's family have memories of him singing hymns, praise songs, and folk songs at the top of his lungs, at any time of the day, especially while he was working. In retirement, he generally spent an hour per day riding a stationery bicycle with a hymn book in front of him, singing his heart out for that hour. John and Janet were very interested in photography, and they also enjoyed traveling, both domestically and internationally, to places where they had a personal connection: to Holland, where John's father Jake had emigrated from; to Japan, to visit the many homestay students and teachers they had provided hospitality to; and to Bolivia, Costa Rica, and Mexico to visit their children. Left to cherish John's memory are his wife Janet and his children: Jerry and Twila Renes of Rock Valley, Dennis and Nancy Renes of Sioux Center, Brian and Donna Renes of Sioux Center, Brenda and Roger Oldenkamp of Sioux Center, Donna and Jean Ponce Tea of Sioux Center, Janelle and Mike Van Riesen of Omaha, NE, and John Brent (J.B.) Renes of Sioux Falls, SD. John is survived by 24 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters and their spouses: Harriet and Elmer Moss of West Union, IA, Wilma and John Vander Stelt of Maurice, Geraldine and Phil Martini of Phoenix, AZ, Joan and Jim Albertson of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jan and Terry Foels of Postville, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister in infancy, two brothers: Sam and Hank Renes, and a daughter-in-law, Kari Renes.