July 5, 1949 - April 19, 2024
In loving memory ~
It is with a profound hole in our hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, nana, and woman extraordinaire, Rena Maxwell.
Predeceased by her adoring parents, Elizabeth and George.
Rena is survived by the love of her life and doting husband, Pat; her three loving children, Suzanne (César), Ryan, and Lindsay (Eric); and the apples of her eye, her beautiful grandchildren Gabriel, Nolan, and Abbie.
Rena was born in the bordertown of Hawick, Scotland, and with true Scottish gumption, made the bold decision to explore the world and move to Vancouver, Canada at the age of 18 with "two suitcases and $60."
There she met her soulmate, Pat, and married on a beautiful June day in 1971.
Together, Rena and Pat led a grand life brimming with family, career, and friendships in Powell River, Richmond, and Mission, BC.
Rena and Pat owned several hair salons, including the iconic ZZ Cuts and treasured many of her clients throughout the years.
In 2001, Rena was asked to be the Cosmetology instructor for Riverside College in its inaugural year. After happily accepting this new endeavour, Rena was quick to realize that this was her vocation.
She cherished her students and impacted each of them, by encouraging them to go the extra mile, and to believe in themselves. She was a mentor, trailblazer, and a woman ahead of her time.
Early in her new career, Rena was awarded Teacher of the Year - a well deserved accolade that set the tone for her many years at Riverside.
After her false start at retirement, Rena taught at Seabird Island and had the privilege of greatly influencing, encouraging, and shaping her students.
Rena believed in each and every person. She openly encouraged her family, friends, students, and strangers alike to step into and live out their greatness. She leaves a legacy that will continue to live through everyone she impacted; and there were countless.
Rena was a fiercely loving wife, mother, nana, sister in law, cousin, and aunt, and her family was everything to her-she revelled and took such delight in having family dinners and outings.
Rena set out and accomplished everything she wanted in her life. She married the man of her dreams, had dynamic children, and took such joy in her grandkids. She travelled, taught, learned to ski in her 40's, and went dune surfing in Peru in her 60s!
Our world won't be the same without our dear Rena, and we will miss her tremendously.
We will be honouring Rena with a celebration of life at a later date with immediate family only as per Rena's request.
In true Rena form, we would like to leave you with with this old Scottish joke to bring a smile to your face (it was her favourite-and don't worry if you don't quite understand-few of us did):
"On a hill I saw a Coo. When I got there, it was a Bull."