Dale Lawrence Renner

Dale Lawrence Renner, 95, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away on Tuesday, October 21st, at Ohio Living - Llanfair, with family at his bedside.
Dale was born on July 1, 1930 to Lawrence and Lauretta (Steffen) Renner at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was brought home and raised in Aurora, Indiana along the banks of the Ohio River where he enjoyed a wonderful boyhood. At 24 days of age, Dale had major surgery to address a genetic inheritance known as Pyloric Stenosis. They were not sure of his survival because of infection possibilities, but he did indeed live to be 95! The surgery left a huge scar across his abdomen of which he was very proud! Interestingly, 75 years later, his grandson would have the same condition as an infant, and Dale marveled at how far modern medicine had come, as his grandson's scar was mostly non-existent. Dale attended St. John Lutheran School in Aurora from 1st-8th grade and then graduated from Aurora High School in 1948. At the age of 17, he rediscovered the piano at the delight of his mother, Lauretta, who was a piano teacher to many of Aurora's youth. Dale honed his talent on the piano and went on to study at the College of Music in Cincinnati after High School, and received his Bachelor's of Music in 1952. He also minored in Organ, having no idea how important that decision was at the time.
After graduation, the Korean War came calling, and Dale registered to serve in the United States Air Force where his musical talents came into play, and he was accepted into the Air Force Military Band. He served for 2 years at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and then was assigned to Hickam Field in Oahu, Hawaii for 18 months. Shortly before his assignment in Hawaii, Dale married Louise Sandmeyer whom he had met while at the College of Music. She joined him on the base at Hickam Field. When his service was over in 1956, he returned home, having discovered a new call on his life - to become a Lutheran School Teacher.
Dale received his Bachelor's of Education from Concordia Teacher's College at River Forest near Chicago, IL in 1958, and his Master's of Education from Indiana University in 1961. He taught 6th Grade for four years at Immanuel Lutheran School in Seymour, Indiana, and also used the organ skills he learned at the College of Music to serve as Immanuel Lutheran Church's organist. While in Seymour, Dale and Louise welcomed daughter, Julie. Soon, they were feeling the pull to be closer to family, and Dale accepted a position in the North College Hill public school system at Clovernook Elementary where he would teach 6th Grade and a couple of 5th/6th combined grades for 28 years, retiring in 1990 after 32 total years of teaching. Dale and Louise joined Christ Lutheran Church in 1963, and he began his long career as organist there, serving for 47 years! He was also the choir director for most of those years.
In 1971, Dale became a widower at the passing of Louise from a glioma. He met Martha (Runck) Bauer and they were married in January 1972. Dale became a father to Martha's two children Robert (Bob) and Diane Bauer, and in October of 1973, Dale and Martha welcomed a daughter, Susan, to their beautifully blended family. In addition to his teaching and organist duties, Dale taught piano for several years, and played with several Big Bands and Dance Bands from the 1960's - 2000's. He played for several years on the B & B Riverboats, at Oktoberfest, Taste of Cincinnati, and all around the Cincinnati area - you name it! Later in life, he found joy bringing music into retirement and nursing homes with his group, "The Sociables". He traveled to many area elder care homes lifting the spirits of the residents through music. He also served as Organist at Hope Lutheran Church in Colerain Township for 14 years bringing his total years of service on the organ bench to 65 years! Dale was an avid reader, a lover of history, and a devoted "The Andy Griffith Show" watcher. There wasn't one episode that he hadn't seen innumerable times. He loved the show for its humor, innocence, and values.
Dale will be greatly missed by his family, but they know they will see him again. He was a devoted Christian man who looked forward to seeing his Savior, Jesus Christ, and always tried to "Trust in the Lord" and have Jesus direct his path. He hoped to hear the words from his Creator, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Dale was a great husband and dad, always generous, kind, and witty. He deeply loved his family!
Dale leaves behind his devoted wife of 53 years, Martha Renner, his son Bob (Sunnie) Bauer, and daughters Julie (Bruce) Klettke, Diane (Tim) Keeler, and Susan (Paul) Kunkel. He also leaves grandchildren Erica (Adam) Merriman, Kristin and Brian Klettke, Amanda Keeler, Katie (David) Wilson, Matt (Tara) Keeler, Kari (Chris) Stewart, and Allyson, Arynn, Adam, AJ, Anna & Adelynn Kunkel; and great-grandchildren, Elle Merriman, Hunter & Kyle Bowling, Emmy & Sam Keeler, and Miles & Francis Stewart.
Dale was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence & Lauretta Renner, and his first wife, Louise.
Visitation will take place from 10-11 a.m. on Monday, October 27 at Christ Lutheran Church, 3301 Compton Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, with Service of Christian Burial immediately following at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Arlington Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to St. John Lutheran School, 222 Mechanic Street in Aurora, Indiana, 47001.