Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Monday February 15, 2010, at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Avon for Renee Marie Smith 74 of Avon who died Wednesday at her home. Her brother, the Rev. Lloyd Haupt, will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Avon and 1 hour prior to services Monday at the church in Avon. Sunday evening, the Third Order of St. Francis will pray at 6 p.m. followed by St. Benedict’s Christian Woman at 6:30 p.m. and Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. at the funeral home in Avon.

Renee was born May 14, 1935, in Avon to Oscar A. and Marcella (Keppers) Haupt. She received her degree in elementary education from St. Cloud State in 1954 and later taught school in Roseville until her marriage. She married Donald Smith on August 1, 1959, at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Avon. She and her husband farmed in rural Avon. Renee also worked as a substitute teacher for the Albany/Avon area for many years. She loved gardening, planting flowers and watching things grow and was a member of the Stearns County Horticulture Society from the mid 1980’s through 2005. Renee was active in the Avon community where she was the Avon Township Clerk from April 1993 until her death. In addition, she co-founded the Avon Food Shelf in 1985 and continued as a director until her death. Renee enjoyed spending time with family, gardening, being outdoors, and helping others. Her presence will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Survivors include her children, William (Sue) of Albany; Steve of Avon; Anne ( fiancé Jim Bleichner) of St. Joseph; Cynthia (Terry) Strack of Arlington; Jim of Avon; Don of St. Cloud; brother, Fr. Lloyd Haupt of St. Cloud, grandchildren, Christine and Elizabeth “Biz” Smith, Aaron and Jacob Strack.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Donald on January 8, 2006, sister, Connie Haupt and brother, Wayne Haupt.