- Date Of Birth: June 8, 1921
- Date Of Death: February 17, 2022
- State: West Virginia
Reverend Oren Neathery ‘Ned’ Reneau passed away peacefully at the Bridgeport Health Care Center on February 17, 2022. He was 100 years old.
Rev. Reneau was born in Albany, KY on June 8, 1921 to Isaac Oren and Hadus Neathery Reneau. He attended Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, receiving degrees in Philosophy and Religion. He attended seminary at the College of the Bible in Lexington and was ordained in 1946. While in seminary, he met wife Florence when they were both working on the play Cuckoos on the Hearth. They married in 1946 and were together almost 70 years.
The Reneau family moved to Grafton in 1950 and he became Chaplain at the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys. Although they expected to only remain for a few years, they raised nine children in Grafton and he retired from the Industrial School in 1983. During his time there, Rev. Reneau touched the lives of thousands of WV boys. On occasion, he would bring them home for Sunday dinner and holidays; his family celebrated Easter and Mother’s Day at the School.
After retiring, Rev. Reneau served as an interim minister to numerous churches including the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Grafton. He also spent much of his time in his beloved woodshop, building toy boxes, rocking horses, and other toys for his grandchildren who called him ‘Gramps.’ He was active in the Taylor County Ministerial Association and served on the boards of the Taylor County Public Library, Camp Towles, and the WV Disciples of Christ.
Rev. Reneau was preceded in death by wife Florence, son Jim, foster son David Mays, and brother Fulton. He is survived by sister Betty of Albany, KY; eight children Carolyn (Steve) Shepler of Elkins, Susan (Ed) Westfall of Grafton, Dorothy (Rock) Garton of Jane Lew, Mary (Bob) Smith of Wheeling, Joyce (Leon) Okes of Parkersburg, Tom (Deneane) Reneau of Bridgeport, Bill (Pam) Reneau of Chesterfield, VA, and Paul (Julie) Reneau of Grafton; daughter-in-law Nancy Reneau of Grafton; foster daughter-in-law, Pat Mays of St Marys; 23 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
The Family of Rev.
