RENELDA ANNE LORD

RENELDA ANNE LORD

March 16, 1941-April 26, 2025

Renelda Anne Gennrich was born March 16, 1941 in Melrose, MN to Arthur Ferdinand and Rose Wilhelmina (Tabatt) Gennrich, baptized March 23, 1941, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Melrose MN, and confirmed May 30, 1954 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Grey Eagle, MN.

Her family moved from St. Rosa, MN to Stewart, MN in 1955. Renelda graduated from Stewart High School in 1958, then from Concordia Junior College, St. Paul, MN with an associate in arts degree on June 3, 1960. She proceeded to earn her BS in Education from Concordia Teacher's College in Seward, NEB in 1962.

From 1962 to 1964 Renelda taught in Lutheran Schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She married Leonard Steffen at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, rural Gibbon, MN on Aug. 15, 1964. Renelda taught in country schools in SD 1964-1968 and at a Hutterite Colony School in SD 1969- 1973. Leonard's health prompted a move to Chino Valley, AZ in 1973. In AZ Renelda attended Yavapai College taking math and science classes. She became a substitute teacher in Chino Valley School district, worked as librarian, tutored math and taught part time at First Lutheran School in Prescott. She also taught Sunday school a total of 62 years! Leonard and Renelda became foster parents for 3 years, and then adopted a nearly 12 yr. old boy in 1980 whom they named Leonard, Jr.

Renelda passed away April 26, 2025 at the Marley House Hospice in Prescott, AZ at age 84. Her funeral was held June 28, 2025 at Hope Lutheran Church, Chino Valley, AZ.

Renelda was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Steffen, Sr. 06-01-98; husband, Jack Lord 05-21-14; son Leonard, Jr. 01-13-23 and sister Carmen Ford 02-24-24. She is survived by brother, Arnold Gennrich and sister-in-law, Miriam, of Stewart, MN, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.