Sheryl J. Renne

Sheryl J. Renne, “Sherry”, 67, of Ridgefield, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 20, 2021 following a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was the loving wife of Alan J. Renne and the mother of Christian and Kailee.
 
Sherry was born on July 5, 1954 in Norfolk, VA; a daughter of William and Nancy (Wood) Lillyman. She attended schools in Monroe, LA, Virginia Beach, VA , and Wethersfield, CT prior to completing high school at St Margaret-McTernan School in Waterbury, CT and later receiving her Bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Maryland overseas campus in Heidelberg, Germany. During her early years of marriage, Sherry was a military spouse and worked for American Express in Europe while living in Wiesbaden and then Mainz, Germany. Thereafter, she started her family during relocation to Cincinnati and then Akron, Ohio, then Cambridge, England, Vienna, Austria and Istanbul, Turkey prior to repatriation to the US at the end of 2000.
 
A resident of Ridgefield since 2001, Sherry first committed to the education of her children, spending hours per day driving them to remote schools as far as New Haven. Later, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of service by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University, ultimately leading to the level of Licensed Clinical Social Worker for Regional Hospice and Homecare of Western CT where she served for nearly ten years. She was also a key leader and counselor at the Center for Healing Hearts in Danbury, CT, helping bereaved families to recover from loss, and later emerging as a specialist in the state of CT for the counseling and support of families and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide.
 
Dating to her early years in Ridgefield, Sherry was a member of Hope Church in Wilton, engaging regularly in women’s ministries. She was known as a well-read enthusiast of reformed Christian thinking, even tracing to the doctrines of pilgrim theology which helped to underpin her deep faith. On a personal level, Sherry stood out for her selflessness, empathy and kindness, uniformly acknowledged by “client” families whom she befriended during years of bereavement counseling and hospice work. She was known for her gleaming smile, bright disposition, and her sense of humility and grace, while always displaying a compassionate approach to others. Her 29-month battle with cancer became an inspiring model of perseverance and bravery.
 
Sherry is survived by her parents, William B. Lillyman Sr. and Nancy Lillyman of Columbus, OH, as well as her husband of 45 years, Alan. She is also survived by her two children: Benjamin Christian Renne II, MD of Boston, MA and Kailee Grace Brinkman and her husband, Douglas of Dayton, OH. In addition, Sherry is survived by her brother, William B. Lillyman Jr. and his wife, Catherine of Hilliard, OH; her sister, Susan J. Hardy and her husband, Charles of Hawaii; and her sister in law, Diane L. Polniak and her husband, Robert of Barrington, NJ.
 
Sherry was predeceased by a sister in law, Charlene B. Renne, mother in law Alma H. Renne, father in law Benjamin C Renne, and son Michael Renne.
 
A Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 10:30 AM at Hope Church - 240 Wolfpit Road; Wilton, CT. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery - 110 North Street, Ridgefield, CT. Friends will be received on Saturday morning from 9:00 AM until the time of the funeral service at Hope Church, Wilton. Masks or other facial coverings are required for all in attendance at the funeral services.

Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County - PO Box 489; Wilton, CT 06897, http://www.visitingnurse.net; Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT - 30 Milestone Road; Danbury, CT 06810, http://www.regionalhospicect.org; and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - PO Box 849168; Boston, MA 02284, http://www.dana-farber.org

Kane Funeral Home, Ridgefield is in care of arrangements.

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