Renee Lynne Donoff

Renee L Donoff

Renee Lynne Donoff, a beloved mother, life partner, grandmother and friend, passed away on Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024, at her Rehabilitation Center residence in Littleton, Colorado. 

She was born on February 5 (-her favorite number), 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and lived a full life that touched and enriched the hearts of those she met. Renee had many lifelong friends, including a number from her high school, Girls' High in Philadelphia. She migrated as a young adult to California where her son was born; then to Colorado where she met her life partner. 

Throughout her early life, Renee's extended family included her four Jewish grandparents, who had emigrated long before World War II to the United States from Kiev, Ukraine. She was very close to them, from them learning much about her Jewish heritage, the language, diet, culture and religion. She was always interested in sharing her copious first-hand knowledge of Judaism with others, enjoying contemplative discussions of peoples' relationships to their religions. 

Renee was an intelligent, compassionate woman whose sharp wit and quirky sense of humor brought light and mirth into the lives of those around her. She possessed a remarkable ability to read other people, making her a great listener who offered support and understanding when it was needed most. Throughout her life, Renee's sensitive nature endeared her to friends and family alike. An English major in college, Renee had a profound love of literature, a lifelong passion for books, poetry and prose, reveling in the beauty of words and the nuanced stories they told. She was a prolific writer in her own right as well. (-she would be smiling here at that play on words.) This included her being an avid Scrabble player, often engaging in friendly competition (-which she almost always won!) while sharing laughter with those around her. One recent loss made Renee proud when her granddaughter won a match against her! 

Renee's love of classical music provided a beautiful backdrop to her life, from her early love affair with Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1 to Carl Orff's Carmina Burana to Bob Dylan and Judy Collins. Renee had a song for every occasion, often belting out the tune with enthusiasm and joy, as well as a song for every letter of the alphabet from A to Z. She often found solace in the melodies that accompanied her thoughts. During a recent visit, she loved hearing her grand-daughter play the piano, especially Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Renee's enthusiasm for visiting with friends fostered a warm community of companionship and shared joy, illustrating her natural ability and desire to connect with others. 

Renee was preceded in death by her parents, William and Katherine Donoff, and her brother Jerry. She is survived by her son Demian Max Clardon, her life partner Rebecca Belden Watt, her daughter-in-law Susanna Kallgren, Susanna's mother Eva Kallgren and her beloved grand- daughter Anastasia Susanna Clardon. All except her life partner live in Sweden, where Renee visited them several times over the years. She also leaves behind many longtime cherished friends who were fortunate to share in this journey of life with her. 

One of Renee's proudest accomplishments was raising her son, Demian. Through her strength not only in accomplishments but in failures, she taught him how to face them both by being humble and through love, humor, laughter and wit, with intelligence and the utmost patience, how to meet life's challenges and successes. Through her unwavering love and guidance, he became a successful, resourceful individual, a testament to her strength and determination as a devoted mother. 

Renee suffered from osteoarthritis for much of her life. That and general declining health meant that she spent the last five years of her life living in a rehabilitation center as her mobility and comfort inexorably declined. Amazingly, through it all, her old spark was still very much there to the end! 

As we remember Renee Lynne Donoff, we celebrate a woman whose intelligence, sensitivity, humor and compassion left an indelible mark on those who knew her. She will live on in the hearts of Demian, Rebecca, Susanna, Eva, Anastasia and all her other loved ones. We shall always love and miss her, with love over the rainbow, now and forever! 

We hold on to the cherished final words shared by Renee and her granddaughter before ending their last phone call: 

TOGETHER FOREVER, NEVER APART, MAYBE IN DISTANCE, BUT NEVER IN HEART!