Long time Pacific Palisades resident Jean Eleanor (Riley) Renner-Manser, 95, passed away on October 3 in Grand Junction, Colorado. Jean was dedicated to her family, her Catholic faith and living that faith through volunteer service to others.
Jean was born in Evanston (Chicago), Illinois, on September 27, 1928, to Eleanor and Edward Riley. She was the second of four children; including siblings Bob, Carol and Eleanor. A Chicagoan at heart, she never forgot her youth on the northside.
Jean attended Saint Gregory’s elementary and high schools, and then college at DePaul University; all in Chicago. Jean met Walt Renner in about 1953 while both worked at Roberts and Schaefer Company in Chicago. Walt and Jean were married in 1955, and had two sons (Steve and Mark) who were born in Chicago. In 1959 the family moved to Pacific Palisades, California where two more sons (Brian and Paul) were born.
Known as “Mims” to her family, Jean dedicated her life to raising her boys and caring for the family home in Pacific Palisades. Through thick and thin, Jean and Walt shepherded the boys through their formative years, ensuring each went to Catholic elementary and high schools before moving on to various colleges. Jean experienced significant loss in her life with Walt unexpectedly passing away in April 1982 and Mark dying of leukemia in May 1988.
Jean went back to work from the late ’70s until the early ’90s, first at St. Monica’s High School in Santa Monica as an administrative assistant before moving on to work at the Rand Corporation, also in Santa Monica, in a similar role. She loved these jobs and spoke passionately about her experiences at Rand for years.
Jean met Donald Manser at Corpus Christi Church, and they subsequently married in 1992. Jean and Don enjoyed a 17-year marriage centered around golf, travel and volunteering at Corpus Christi. They were jointly presented with the Volunteer of the Year award by the church in 2009. Besides her volunteer activities at Corpus Christi, Jean was an active member of the Pacific Palisades branch of the American Legion, involved in the Girls State program and volunteered at Meals on Wheels of West Los Angeles, delivering meals for almost 30 years.
Following Don’s passing in 2009, Jean continued to be active at church and with her other volunteer activities. In the summer of 2018, following a couple significant accidents resulting in injuries, Jean moved into an assisted living community in Grand Junction, Colorado. This move allowed Jean to be near son Steve, his wife Mimi and their children and grandchildren until her death.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, brother Bob, husbands Walter Renner and Donald Manser and son Mark. Jean is survived by her sons Steve (Mimi) of Grand Junction, Colorado, Brian (Karen) of Malibu, California, and Paul of Hesperia, California, and her sisters Carol and Eleanor of Chicago, Illinois. In addition, Jean is survived by her five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Jean will be remembered for her faith, service to others, strong will and willingness to speak her mind.
A Memorial Mass will be held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 880 Toyopa Drive, on Saturday, November 11, at 10 a.m.
Our family would like to extend its profound thanks and appreciation to the staff and friends who expressed their love and kindness to Mims these past few years, including Cappella Assisted Living of Grand Junction, Western Colorado Memory Support and Hope West Hospice. Thank you all so much for the love, support and care you provided our mom.
Donations in Jean’s honor may be made to the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach Soup Kitchen, 245 South 1st Street Grand Junction, CO 81501.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at callahan-edfast.com for the Renner family.
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