RENATA'S OBITUARY
Obituary of Renata Theresa Walz, nee Jaeger Preceded in death by parents Herbert Alfred Eric Jaeger, a German immigrant, and Catharine Gertrude Elizabeth Jaeger, nee Feiler, expired on March 17, 2022, at age 78 after cardiac arrest resulting in respiratory failure and massive brain damage. She is survived by her loving, devoted husband of 52 years, Bruce James Walz, M.D., their two wonderful children, Jennifer Mara Buist (Gene) of Chesterfield, MO, Rachel Elizabeth Walz (Gonzalo Olmos-Gutierrez) of Ballwin, MO and Madrid, Spain, and three grandchildren, Renata Olmos-Walz, Alexandra Chloe Buist, and Aiden Christopher Buist. She is also survived by a sister Dorothy Louise Hall of Deerfield Beach, FL, a niece Kathleen Victoria Smith (Gerald) of North Port, FL, and a grandniece Kaitlyn Victoria Smith of Port Charlotte, FL.
Rennie, as she was called until college, was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Skokie, Illinois. Her first language was German and she learned English as a first grader. She graduated Niles Township High School and from Washington University, majoring in history but also studying Russian. After graduation she worked as a computer programmer before becoming a mother.
Renata was known as a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. A cordial, warm friend with a contagious laugh, a gourmet chef, a generous, gracious hostess, a solo pilot, a seven-year member of the Parkway School Board (serving two years as Board President), an amateur Egyptologist, and a scuba diver. Her ability to make friends was legendary. But she was perhaps most proud of being “Bella” to her grandchildren and their friends.
Renata didn’t brag about it, but she had some competency in four languages, and a little Arabic and hieroglyphs. She loved to travel and visited at least 21 countries. She made over 30 trips to Spain and made many friends. It seemed as if everyone was welcome in Renata’s home. Family and friends used to joke that it was hard to tell how many children Renata had because besides Jennifer and Rachel it seemed that Kathy, DeLynn, Debbie, Michael, Allison, Valerie, and Sisi, an exchange student from Spain, were always underfoot. In a final act of generosity Renata directed on her driver’s license that her organs and tissues be donated to others for medical use.
