Venda Renken

Click Here To View Memorial Video Venda Renken of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away April 8, 2014 in her apartment at Parkwood Meadows Assisted Living Community. Venda was 88. Venda was born July 19,1925 in Menan, Idaho, to Fredrick Browning and Nancy Casper Browning. She grew up in Menan, Idaho, were she attended school. Venda enjoyed school paper and reading many books. Venda graduated from Midway High School where she was valedictorian. December 1946, Venda married I. E Rainey, who had a daughter, Margie Ann, and a son, Dennis. Together they had Colleen Rainey, who preceded her in death January, 2001. I. E Rainey preceded her in death in 1985. Venda decided at 50 to go back to school to further her education. She attended nursing school at Eastern Idaho Technical College. After graduating in 1977, Venda was employed at the Idaho Falls Consolidated Hospitals, where she took care of her older sister, Vera. On June 20,1988, she married Merle Leroy Renken at her home in Rigby. Merle preceded her death on June 13th, 2003. Venda enjoyed spending time in her vegetable and flower garden, painting, and many hours reading mystery novels. Venda is survived by her daughter, Margie Anne Paris Browning of Post Falls, ID; son, Dennis Rainey of Albuquerque, NM. Ten grandchildren - Amy Evans of Lehi, UT; James Knutson of Vancouver, WA; Benjamin Knutson of Virginia Beach, VA; and Mathew Knutson of Idaho Falls, ID. Venda has seventeen great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Venda was preceded in death by her parents - Fredrick and Nancy Browning, siblings - Leland Neal, Edna Grace, Sadie May, Bert Cleon, Elnora Elizabeth, Lyle Fredrick, Vera Ellen, Lloyd Duncan, Dean Edward, William Austin, Venda Luella, Nancy Elouise, Helen Ethel. Venda's first husband, I.E Rainey, second husband, Merle Renken, grandson, Keith Knutson (son of Colleen and Al Knutson), and her daughter, Colleen Rainey Knutson Ritchie. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 14, 2014, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 South Ammon Road. The family will meet with friends from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to services at Wood East Side. Burial will be in the Annis-Little Butte Cemetery.