Rev. Renee L. McCleary

Rev. Renee L. McCleary

AGE: 72 • Somerdale

The Reverend Renée LaVerne McCleary was born the third of six children to the late Benjamin and Martha Blackshear on July 21, 1945. She was raised in Camden, NJ and received her early education through the Camden City school system. Renee entered Heaven's Gates on October 10, 2017.

Renee received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University). While studying for her degree, Renee worked for Camden City School System. She went on to work for Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company in Philadelphia, PA. While employed at Penn Mutual, she began work on her Master of Divinity degree at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. She graduated with top honors in May 1990.

In 1989 Renee was appointed pastor at Broadway United Methodist Church in Camden, New Jersey. She led this congregation through a successful building project, ending 12 years of that congregation worshiping in a trailer. Renee was later appointed senior pastor of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Lawnside, New Jersey. At the 2006 Annual Conference Session of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, Renee was appointed District Superintendent of the Skylands District. Her tenure began on July 1, 2006; she retired in 2011.

For several years, Renee served as adjunct professor in the Master of Divinity program at Eastern Seminary. She served the United Methodist Church at the District, Conference, Jurisdictional and General Church levels. Renee was an elected delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences in 1996 and 2004, representing the former Southern New Jersey Annual Conference. She was privileged to travel to Haiti, Switzerland, South Korea, China and Zimbabwe, where she was honored to be a guest preacher.

Renée garnered numerous awards including receiving the key to the City of Camden for her extensive work with the poor. In addition, she was chosen Woman of the Year by two different chapters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and was recognized by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity for honors in the area of religion. She was also the subject of feature newspaper articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Courier Post on several occasions. Renee also served a three-year term on the Lawnside Board of Education, served as Chaplain for the Borough of Lawnside and Vice President of the Lawnside Ecumenical Ministerial Council.

Renee was a devoted wife to Henry McCleary, who preceded her in death. She was the mother of three children, William, Cynthia and Darrin Kidd (who preceded her in death). She leaves to cherish her memory her son, William E. Kidd, III (Cheri), her daughter, Cynthia L. Richardson (Vincent); daughter-in-law, Chantain Kidd; six grandchildren, Sharyn Kidd, Darrin Kidd, Jr., Stephon Hollis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, DeAnte Kidd and LaTasha Richardson; five great-grandchildren, Paige Kidd, Zy'air Kidd, Jaden Kidd, Jemaine Kidd, and Savannah Byrd; four siblings, Carolyn Chambliss, Cynthia Butler (Rodger), Michelle Cook (Bill), Rhonda Blackshear and sister-in-law, Virginia Blackshear. Her only brother, Benjamin Blackshear, Jr. preceded her in death. She also leaves numerous nieces, nephews and several "extended/adopted" family members and friends. She fully understood that without their support, she would never have been able to achieve what she did.

Viewing is Wed 5pm-8pm and Thurs 8am-10am with service at 10am at Haddonfield UM Church, 29 Warwick Rd., Haddonfield, NJ. Interment at Harleigh Cemetery. Ministry of Comfort Entrusted to May Funeral Home. www.mayfuneralhomes. com