Renie Constance Saunders (nee Christakos)
passed away January 27th, 2024.
Renie was born in Prince Albert Saskatchewan
July 2nd, 1937, the 3rd of Helen and Gus
Christakos’s 4 children. Renie grew up on a
farm on which the family owned and ran the
Gus’s Pavilion - a beautiful log event centre
famous for lively dances and locally famous
home cooked chicken dinners. Renie had a
quick wit and was an engaging story teller,
often sharing tales of her childhood antics
with her sister Marjorie and brothers Jim and
Greg. Renie was a good student and had an
impressive vocabulary. As a young woman
she worked for the Prince Albert Newspaper
of which a highlight was interviewing John
Diefenbaker. Renie married Bill, her lifelong
partner and love September 8, 1956 and
together they shared a full life for 66 years,
raising their 5 children and enjoying their
10 grandchildren.
Due to Bill’s RCMP career, they lived in many
great locations including the Okanagan
and BC coast, settling for 28 years on their
beloved acreage near Edson and finally
retiring to Okotoks.
Renie worked in a variety of different jobs,
including as a successful realtor in Edson,
but most enjoyed caring and cooking for
Bill and their family. Her 10 grandchildren
loved her famous mac and cheese and
wonderful cookies. She enjoyed a good
laugh and conversation, watching Coronation
Street, completing the daily New York Times
crossword puzzle, playing the piano and
preparing for visits from their family and
friends. In their later years Bill and Renie
spent many enjoyable winters in the Texas
Hill Country and Indio California with good
friends. Renie was loved and had the privilege
of living a good long life.
Renie is survived by her loving husband Bill,
their children Lori (Kent), Tom (Andrea), Rick
(Joan), Greg (Stacey) and Amy (George), her
10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren,
her brothers Greg and Jim and many
nieces and nephews. She is predeceased
by her parents. Gus and Helen, and sister
Marjorie Eagle.
Huge gratitude to the caring staff at Tudor
Manor in Okotoks, and Dr. Colleen Collar and
Dr. JoAnna Fay for their support and care of
Renie through her final years.
In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be
made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada.
