Renee Besecker

1944 - 2020

TIPP CITY — Renee Besecker (Renee Camille Barker), RN, BSN, MS, NCSN, 76, passed away Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020 peacefully at home with her family. Renee was a resident of Tipp City, Ohio, for 37 years. She was born Sept. 6, 1944, in Ardmore, Okla., to Dorothy Anderson Barker, (1927-1952) and Bruce Weldon Barker (1920-1994) and raised by Bruce and Rose "Jackie" Barker (1920-1999) in Oklahoma, Newfoundland Canada, Texas, California, and Ohio, with her brothers Jay Barker of Piedmont, Okla., David Barker (1944-2012), and Richard "Rusty" Barker of Denham Springs, La.

Renee Barker married Joseph D. Besecker of Monroe Township, Darke County, Ohio, on Aug. 7, 1965, at Whitehall Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. Her husband of 55 years is a retired educator and coach, and serves on the Johnny Appleseed Foundation he helped found. They are the parents of four children: Samantha (Dan) Gray of Bluff City, Tenn., Bret (Camelia) Besecker of St. Petersburg, Fla., Barry (Jenny) Besecker of Beavercreek, Ohio, and Tabitha (Rob) Clements of Clayton, Ohio, and grandparents of 13 grandchildren: Camille, Luke and Zaiah Gray; Alex and Gabe Besecker; Logan and Blake Besecker; and Elijah, Adrienne, Zach, Claire, Natalie, and Joelle Clements.

Renee attended elementary school in Newfoundland, Sadler and Houston, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif., Folsom Junior High in California, and high school in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and at Eastmoor High School in Columbus. She graduated with a BSN in Nursing from Capital University and an MS in Nursing from Wright State University. For 35 years, she served as the school nurse for Northridge Local School District, where she was elected to the Northridge Hall of Fame. For 5 years, Renee also directed the practicum experience for future school nurses for Mount St. Joseph University. After retiring from the school system, Renee became the executive director of the Ohio School Nurses Association, advocating for student healthcare and nursing, and establishing a scholarship program for nurses.

Renee had many interests and hobbies, including competing with her synchronized swimming team, being active with her gardening club, participating in the downtown historic tour, sewing and crafts, traveling, studying family history, collecting antiques, and reading mysteries. Most of all, she enjoyed her 13 grandchildren and their many ball games, wrestling matches, swimming meets, and theatre performances.

Renee was an active member of Tipp City United Methodist Church where she has served as parish nurse, Stephen Minister, an usher, volunteered on mission trips, and delivered communion to the homebound.

Renee is survived by her husband Joe, her four children, 13 grandchildren, her aunt Camille Arthur of Richmond, Va.; her brothers Jay Barker of Piedmont, Okla., and Richard "Rusty" Barker of Denham Springs, La.; and cousin Cynthia Naylor of Dewey, Okla., and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family and friends.

Memorial funds have been established to support nursing leadership education through the Ohio Association of School Nurses Education and Research Fund, designating gifts in honor of Renee Besecker at cmafohio.org/donate-today/oasn or by mail to Columbus Medical Association Foundation, 1390 Dublin Rd., Columbus. OH 43215.

A visitation and memorial service have been tentatively planned for 1 to 3 p.m. with service at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27, at Tipp City United Methodist Church; Pastor Bonita Ritchie officiating. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Arrangements have been entrusted to Frings and Bayliff Funeral Home, 327 W. Main Street, Tipp City, OH 45371. Online condolences may be expressed at www.fringsandbayliff.com