Elizabeth "Betty" Renner

Elizabeth “Betty” Renner, 92, of Mandan, passed away January 11, 2021 at Sanford Hospital, Bismarck.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, January 18, 2021 at Christ the King Catholic Church, Mandan, ND, with Rev. Fred Harvey as celebrant. Burial will take place on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 10:30 AM at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Sunday, January 17, 2021 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, with a PRIVATE family vigil beginning at 7:00 PM. There will NOT be any visitation at the church prior to the service on Monday. The vigil and Mass will be live streamed on the Weigel Funeral Home website under Betty’s obituary page.

Please adhere to all mask mandates and social distancing guidelines.

Elizabeth “Betty” Renner was born on February 1, 1928 in Timmer, ND, to Frank and Eva (Gerhardt) Kuntz. She attended the Fallon, ND, boarding school where she graduated from the eighth grade. In her younger years, Betty enjoyed spending time in the fields with her father and siblings, where she helped with threshing, haying, and drove a McCormick tractor.

Betty met the love of her life, Lawrence Renner, while he was playing in a band at a wedding dance in Flasher, ND. She was 19 years old at that time and working at the St. Anthony Catholic Church as a housekeeper. They were married on August 23, 1948 in Fallon, ND, and enjoyed 71 years together. Lawrence and Betty raised nine children (including two sets of twins) on their farm south of Mandan. Betty loved dancing and had a flair for fashion. She loved a good cup of coffee and made excellent pies. Betty loved feeding people and always set a nice table. After her children were raised, she worked at Karmelkorn and the Mandan Drug Store, where she was known for baking and serving her homemade pies.

Betty was a member of the Dacotah Lioness Club and Catholic Daughters. Betty had a great love for life and traveled, with Lawrence, to most of the lower 48 states, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. She liked to laugh and laughed the hardest at her own jokes. Faith, prayer, and family were an important part of her daily life.

Betty taught her kids to bake pies, butcher chickens, and to enjoy wildflowers. She started sewing at a young age and passed that skill onto her children. Betty valued education and encouraged all of her children to pursue a college degree. To her children, Betty had a master’s degree in marriage, motherhood, and homemaking. She had a kind word for all, made time for everyone, and made all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren feel special. To her, family was everything. She taught her children how to respect others and to appreciate what they have.

Betty will be deeply missed by her son, Dennis (Marilyn) Renner; daughters, Karen (Bob) Pedigo, Carol (Leonard) Kary, Jocelyn (Wayne) Tang, Patti (Tom) Jorgenson, Lori (Joe) Thomas, Lisa (Shawn) Dunnigan, and Brenda (Rod) Fried; 22 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandson; sisters, AnnaMary, Sister Kathleen, Jenny, Gloria, Tillie, and Eva; and a brother, Lawrence.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence; daughter, Rebecca Renner; grandson, Ivan Kary; granddaughter, Melissa Pedigo; great-granddaughter, Georgia Kary; great-great granddaughter, Everleigh Renner; brothers, Jerome, Nick, John, and Bill; and sister, Rosemary.