Fay Kent Renardson

Fay - you are missed and well remembered. Love, Rick.

Dear Wayne,

I am so very sorry to just now hear about the loss of your darling Fay. I cannot begin to imagine how this last year has been. My heart is with you and I pray that you are surrounded by loved ones.

Always, Maria McKolskey and Family

Fay was one of the sweetest, nicest people I have ever known. I am so sorry that I missed her memorial service because I wanted to honor her and our friendship. I am so glad I got to know her and enjoy working with her at Vanderbilt.

I have known Fay Renardson for decades. I originally met her at my first opening at Carlton´s "In the Gallery" when she bought one of my wall works. She continued to support me throughout my career as a ceramicist and my teaching career at Vanderbilt. The staff of the then Art History department were essential to not only slide management but I could also count on them for editing of professional articles. Fay knew how to rearrange my sentences and sentence structure without changing the meaning of any of it. Her corrections and editing were done with the outmost respect - she never made me feel like I was a "bad writer." With this editing, these articles were excepted in numerous periodicals, and for that I am forever grateful to Fay.

Fay, Joanne and Anne so often came to studio art receptions and departmental speakers, even after History of Art split from the studio art program and required a trip across campus. They supported working artists and could be seen at all kinds of off-campus art events, offering words of insight and encouragement. I often ran into "the gang" at the Tennessee Craft Fair in Centennial Park, and we shared our latest acquisitions.

Where I got to know Fay best though was during the years that I lived in Lebanon when Wayne and his jazz band played at "The Mill," a local art venue in the heart of the town. She and I met there about once a month to join the band groupies. There I developed a deeper appreciation for live jazz and for Fay´s humor and sweet personality. She always made one feel at ease and understood.

There have been so many special occasions with her and her friends, like the time she drove all the way to Smithville so they could pick me up from rehab after my knees surgery - we all went to Nicholas Mella´s art opening at the Appalachian Center for Craft. Another time, "the gang" also met me for brunch in Hillsboro Village the morning of my retirement talk at Cohen Memorial Hall. We had recently planned a field trip to Paducah, Kentucky to see the Quilt Museum located there -- this was to happen after the pandemic had passed. I always enjoyed these outings and am so sad that she will no longer be with us. By the way, the pandemic is why I could not be here today; I am recovering from Covid.

Fay was so kind to animals as well as people. She and I planned a dog rescue together. She always demonstrated a deep concern for others, and was always very generous with her affections. I miss her soft-spoken loveliness.

I'm so sorry about Fay's death! She was such a bright spirit, so unique! Can't imagine this world without her!