Renee Louise Walton
January 9, 1958 ~ July 16, 2018
Teacher, cook, mother, mentor, musician, flautist, little rascals enthusiast, and unafraid to cook with butter.
Renee L. Walton
January 9th, 1958 - July 16th, 2018
Renee (middle name redacted) Walton - born January 9, 1958 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The daughter of a grocer and a homemaker, she spent her school-aged years participating in musical events which included playing the clarinet and flute and performing in several school marching bands. Starting in high school, Renee began working as a counselor at music camps where she was able to share her love of music. This inspired her to obtain a degree in Music Education from Eastern Michigan University and eventually to a career in teaching in Kansas.
Since then, she spent two decades working in Music Education. She spread her love and passion for music to the thousands of students that walked through her classroom door. Renee especially loved to incorporate multi-cultural music into her lessons which gave many students broader perspectives about the very world in which they lived.
While teaching music at Colvin Elementary, she discovered a way to incorporate her second passion: food. She loved cooking for her students and coworkers. Her French grandmother was the inspiration for much of her cooking and her love of French cuisine. Her favorite recipes included: Sweet potato soup, French onion soup, rack of lamb, and anything that included butter.
Renee is survived by her headstrong and fiercely independent daughter, Ellen Pfannenstiel. Ellen and her husband, Ted Gross, carry on her mothers love of cooking and working with children.
A memorial service has not been set at this time, but will be announced as soon as her family is ready.
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My deepest sympathies to Renees family. I enjoyed getting to know Renee through the Kodaly levels classes and music teacher gatherings. I am so going to miss seeing her and sharing classroom stories.
I will miss Renee very much. She was a very bright light as a fellow music teacher and all around human being.
I am saddened to hear of Renees death. she touched many lives, including mine. Even after many years, she is in my memories of Ypsilanti High School students.
Renee will be missed. The students at Colvin Elementary were greatly benefited with her musical inspiration. I loved working with her.
Dont know where to begin…17 years with Renee. Sharing life. So many laughs and tears. Ups and downs. Always love. We teased each other incessantly (mostly I teased her) but she won out when it came to kindness, forgiveness and acceptance. She always showed me great patience and camaraderie. And thats what she did for her students. When it came time for selecting honor choir students, we had different mindsets. Her criteria weighed heavily on her hopes for her childrennot so much on what they were able to do but what she felt they needed and COULD do.
I would tease her about finding her desk among the clutter in her room, telling her she should be on Hoarders, and call attention to the frequency and length of her stories. When I went to her to apologize, she always forgave me. This was the most endearing quality for me. Compassion. She loved me for who I was. In spite of who I am. I talk about Jesus but she SHOWED the love of Jesus.
I visited her classroom at Clark, last year, and she clearly missed all of her colleagues and students. She cried as I left, that day, and Im crying as she leaves us, now.
https://youtu.be/FxU894RZ4mg
I was blessed to have known Renee. We were both music teachers and spent 3 years in the same Kodaly classes. She will forever be one of my solfa sisters. She will be greatly missed. Continued prayers for her family and friends.
Our thoughts & prayers. May the memories that linger be those of joy & laughter.
I had the privilege of working with Renee this past year at Clark Elementary. She was just what the kids needed and I loved how she was always finding treasures and ways to help the students learn in music class! I got some great hands on ideas from her and hope to continue those in my music classes. She will be greatly missed and my heart and prayers are with her family. May her legacy pass down through our memories of her. I am so thankful that she was a part of my life even if it was for a short while!
Vangie Rodriguez
I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Renee this past year. I will miss my friend, and her passion for teaching and music!
So many fun memories with Renee at in-services.
Renee will be missed by both teachers and students. I will always think about her when I remember May fest at Colvin. God Bless you Renee, and prayer go out to her family.
Renee and I were teammates on the faculty of Colvin Elementary for many years. As a PE teacher we worked together for many school wide events, most notably our May Festival. She was a very pleasant co-worker and I enjoyed working with her. Her students loved her activities. She will be missed.
Dear Family,
I have known Renee for years as a colleague in music- WPS. I could always count on Renee to add to discussions and help out as needed. She loved her Colvin students and spent extra time creating special moments for them.
I am so sorry for your loss. She will be missed.
Prayers,
Holly Taylor
I worked with Renee for one year at Clark Elementary, and in that short amount of time she influenced me greatly. As a newish teacher I sometimes dont have the greatest amount of confidence, especially around veteran teachers. She always supported and encouraged me and other Co workers. She was always a positive light and wasnt afraid to try new things and if they didnt work out she showed me that its ok and that youll never know unless you try. She wanted a place where the staff was unified because of our love of students. I was so looking forward to this upcoming year with Renee at our building. She will be missed greatly.
Renee was one of my best friends from 6th grade through high school. I was always amazed and, probably, more than a little envious of her talent! We had fun making up movie scripts, watching horror films on Saturdays while drinking Tab, her dressing up as Bunchhack (our answer to the Hunchback) and me walking her on a leash down the street, having sleepovers on her parents screened in porch, going through yearbooks and marking which boys we thought were cute, Girl Scouts, and so many others things! She was a unique spirit! She was and is a gem of my childhood! My condolences to you Ellen and your family!
Ms. Walton was a passionate music teacher at Colvin. I remember her enthusiasm towards teaching kids about music from the time I was in Pre-K to 5th grade. In 5th grade, it was her that made me embark on a new and solemn journey of playing the violin for the next seven years. My last memories of her was when I volunteered to help her pack up equipment after May Fest and her classroom 2 years ago. Today, August 13, 2018, Colvin had a back to school night. I decided to drop by to visit and to be immersed in nostalgia. Nothing prepared me for the news of her passing. I will and already am missing you Ms. Walton. Requiescat in pace.
Ellen, I have fond memories of talking and laughing with your mom when we were kids and I would come over to your house. I have even more fond memories of just being friends with you growing up. I was so glad to have a friend who lived within walking distance! I know that saying goodbye to a parent is so incredibly difficult. I am praying for you in these weeks and months to come. Love you, friend.
Please accept our deepest condolences for your family’s loss.