Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
The service can be watched at https://www.facebook.com/
The family would like memorial donations sent to Headwaters Animal Shelter in Park Rapids.
Renae Elizabeth (Berkner) Bock was born August 2, 1953 to Randall and Delores (Dolly Goldschmidt) Berkner in Sleepy Eye, MN. She attended a rural country school for her primary grades and then attended Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Schools, graduating in 1971. She graduated from Winona State University in 1976 with Bachelor of Science degrees in Physical Education and Health Education. Throughout her career, she also has furthered her education with Master of Science Degrees in Biology and Adaptive Physical Education.
Renae’s first teaching job was at St. Mary’s Catholic Grade School in El Centro, CA in 1977. She later took a Physical Education and Health Education position at Wilson Middle School in El Centro. She also taught Life Science in her tenure at Wilson. She retired from her position in 2009.
While teaching at Wilson, Renae met her husband Neil Bock. They were married at First Christian Church on July 16, 1983 in El Centro, CA. Neil was an elementary principal so the two could spend their summer months traveling. They enjoyed visiting many sites throughout the United States and Europe. When Renae retired from teaching in 2009, they moved to Park Rapids to be closer to family. She continued to substitute teach at the Park Rapids Area Schools. She also taught at Mankato State University for two summers in Adaptive PE.
Renae had a talent for needle point stitching and created beautiful embroidered dish towels. She sewed clever hand towels and loved to share her crafts with family and friends. Renae’s passion was running. She ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth just to say she finished it. Once that goal had been reached, she settled on 5K or 10K’s, participating in over twenty consecutive years in the Carlsbad 5000 in California. Wherever she was spending her summer months, she was searching for a race to run.
Renae was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan and season ticket holder. She loved any Minnesota team even though she was not a resident of Minnesota for most of her life. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority and enjoyed her sisters and their involvement in the betterment of education. Renae was a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Park Rapids.
In 2017, Renae and Neil bought a condo in Daytona Beach, FL. Unfortunately while driving to Florida in November of 2020, Renae fell ill and was admitted to the University Hospitals in Madison, WI and diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. From that date, until the time of her death, Renae fought the disease valiantly.
Renae is survived by her husband Neil, Park Rapids, MN, step-sons Mike (Betty) Bock, Oceanside, CA, and Mark Bock, San Diego, CA, grandchildren Kevin Bock, Oceanside, CA, and Kristin (Devin) Bock, Carlsbad, CA, and great-grandchildren, Aria, Dylan, and Madison Bock, Carlsbad, CA, siblings, Allan (Bonnie) Berkner, Streamwood, IL, Dale (Dianne) Berkner, Brandon, SD, Cindy (Charles) Sobocinski, Moorhead, MN, Pat (Patty) Berkner, Sleepy Eye, MN, and Lynn (Lori) Berkner, Sleepy Eye, MN. Thirteen nieces and nephews and twenty great-nieces and nephews.
Preceding Renae in death are her parents Randall and Delores Berkner and Jack and Carol Bock, several aunts and uncles, and two cousins.