James Renner

James Renner, 86, of Fergus Falls, died Wednesday, November 23, 2011, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls. He was born October 14, 1925, in Pelican Rapids, the son of Louis and Frances (Kowalski) Renner. He grew up in Pelican Rapids graduating from high school in 1943. After high school he worked for the Ostrus Brothers delivering ice and worked in the fur business. He was drafted into the Army Air Force in 1944 to basic training at Keesler Field, MS. He was trained in a radio school in Madison, WI, then pre-radar school at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois and radar school in Boca Raton, FL. Following his discharge in 1946, Jim was able to save two men whose boat had capsized while fishing on Crystal Lake near Pelican Rapids. On October 3, 1948, he married Florence McArdle at St. Leonard’s Catholic Church in Pelican Rapids. He began working for NW Bell Telephone Co. as an equipment man in 1946. James was transferred to Sauk Centre in the spring of 1951, later back to Fergus Falls in August of 1951. After 33 years and 10 months, he retired on May 9, 1980. In 1990, he purchased 158 acres of woods near Detroit Lakes, where he and his wife and family enjoyed deer hunting, raspberry picking and wood cutting. He loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He will be deeply missed as a husband, father, grandpa, and great-grandpa. He was a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, the Fergus Falls American Legion, Eagles and the Fergus Falls Coin Club. Preceding him in death were his parents; two sons one who was stillborn and Michael who died in 1992; brothers, Robert and Leonard. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Florence “Butch” Renner of Fergus Falls; daughters, Patricia Renner and her daughter, Anna, of St. Paul, Virginia (Robert) Riege of Austin and their children, Aaron and Amanda, Joan (John) Zettel of Breckenridge and their children Jackie, Jacob, Jamie, Jennifer, and Jerrold; sons, Anthony (Annette) Renner of St. Paul and their children, Bonnie and Joseph, and Martin (Carol) Renner and their children, Abigail, Grace, Luke and Olivia of Hallettsville, TX. Also surviving are five great-grandchildren, Agustin, Lorraine and Victoria Zettel, Colin Renner and Lanie Osmon. Memorials are preferred to Telephone Pioneers, c/o Gertrude Obowa, 730 W. Beech, Fergus Falls, MN 56537 Visitation: 5-7 pm Sunday with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home and will resume one hour prior to the service at the church Service: 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 28, 2011 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Fergus Falls Clergy: Father Greg Paffel Interment: St. Leonard’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Pelican Rapids Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls