Lorena “Renie” Berry-Ginther, 88,
Lorena “Renie” Berry-Ginther, 88, of Augusta, passed away at her home in the tender care of her family on Friday afternoon, September 24, 2021. She was recently under the care of St. Joseph’s Hospice Center.
Lorena Adeline Berry-Ginther was born January 20, 1933, daughter of Ivan and Vada (Daniels) Pettis. She was born at home in the Thompson Valley area of Otter Creek Township, rural Augusta, baptized on the family farm and confirmed at Thompson Valley Methodist Church. Lorena attended Pride Country School, Augusta High School and in 1951, earned her GED. Lorena was united in marriage to Clarence Berry, Jr. on December 9, 1950, and the couple lived in Waukesha for a year before moving to Austin, Minn. In 1952 they moved back to the Berry homestead on Buckman Street in Augusta. After her husband, Clarence Berry passed away in 1987, she was united in marriage to Leland “Skip” Ginther on May 23, 2000, in Rochester, MN. The couple continued to live in Augusta and Leland “Skip” passed away in 2009.
In addition to raising her family, Lorena also worked for many companies in the Augusta area including the Anderson and Bush Brothers Canning Company, the Dime Store, Morgan Dry Cleaning, the Augusta Theater, the Augusta Elementary School as a cook, the Neillsville Foundry, Augusta Co-op Creamery, Augusta Meat Market, the Red Dot Café and in the kitchen of the Fall Creek Valley Nursing Home. In 1982, Clarence and Lorena purchased the NuCafe which they continued to manage and operate until 1992.
Lorena was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Augusta, where she served as a church counter, member of the Methodist Ladies Society, wedding and funeral committee member, the church choir and Sunday School teacher. She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, making quilts, camping, relaxing at Pike Lake and time with her family and friends. She especially enjoyed playing cards and games, shaking dice, and time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Lorena always had cookies in the cookie jar, ice cream in the freezer and a candy dish full of treats.
Lorena will be dearly missed by her children, Patricia (Dave) Bauch of Augusta, Donald (Paula) Berry, Edwin Berry, and Allen Berry, all of Augusta, David Berry of Savage, MN , Jacqueline (Thomas) Newcomb of La Crosse; and her 22 grandchildren, 51 great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren. Other survivors include a brother Ellis (Marjorie) Pettis of Augusta; sisters Virginia (Dean) Schwoch of Augusta, Harriett (Daryl) Dehnke of Eau Claire; sisters-in- law, Betty Pettis of Eau Claire, Marcella Pettis of Augusta and Clara Pettis of Colorado Springs, CO; several nieces, nephews, Joanie Skala and many other friends.
In addition to her husbands, Clarence Berry and Leland Ginther; she was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan and Vada Pettis; siblings: Clarence, Ivan Jr “Bill”, James, Everett, Ervin, Gerald and Leland Pettis, Linda Harmon; and granddaughter Sarah Krentz.
Special thank you to the medical teams at the Augusta Health Center, Sacred Heart Hospital, and St Joseph’s Hospice for their care and support. A visitation will be held on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Augusta, and Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the church. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the church, with burial at a later date in the West Lawn Cemetery in Augusta. The family is assisted by Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta.
