Renee Lynn Martin

LIFE OF RENEE LYNN MARTIN

1. Dr. Renee Lynn Martin was peacefully called home to be with our Lord. She was
2. born to her parents, John and Mary Smith on December 5, 1952, in Mount Holly,
3. New Jersey. Renee was a beloved wife, daughter, Godmother, sister, aunt, cousin
4. and friend.
5. 
   
6. Renee, received her education from the Burlington City Public Schools, Burlington
7. New Jersey. She graduated from Burlington City High School in 1971. In 1981,
8. Renee also earned her Bachelor of Arts Degrees while completing dual majors in
9. Urban Planning and Sociology at Rutgers University, Camden New Jersey. She
10. completed these 4-year programs all within 2 years while working as an educator
11. with the Willingboro Public Schools, Willingboro, New Jersey.
12. 
    
13. Renee’s real passion was in law studies. She particularly had a special interest in
14. Family law and contracts. Her dream was realized in 2001, as she completed her
15. Doctorate degree in Juris Doctor of Law, J.D. from The University of Northern
16. California, Lorenzo Patino School of Law, Sacramento, CA. Renee was the first
17. relative in our family to achieve this high honor. This was a very happy day for

Renee. Her parents and relatives attended this ceremony and we were very proud of her.

• Renee as we will remember her, always lived her life with a strong sense of
• purpose, was assertive, had integrity, principled, and empathetic to other’s needs
• and was always available to lend a helping hand or offer her advice to a family
• member or friend, whenever a need arise.
• 
  
• Renee always would praise and credit her mom and dad for their strong work
• ethic, their love of family and their love of God. Throughout her lifetime, she
• always looked out for her mom, dad and her siblings. Her younger siblings, while
• growing up together, often called her, “Nay, Nay.” Her parents would describe
• Renee as, “smart as a whip.” Especially In her high school years, her siblings were
• always amazed how she hardly studied for tests but still achieved high grades in
• her school studies.
• 
  

1. God blessed our Renee with many gifts. She always displayed unwavering love,
2. constructive criticism, along with loyalty to her family and for helping others in
3. need of her wisdom. She served as a great role model to her siblings and her
4. nephews. These were the qualities we loved about our Renee. Our family was
5. blessed to have you in our lives throughout the years of your life.
6. 
   
7. Renee, would describe herself to us as being very assertive, a realist, a
8. sharpshooter, a stickler for details, and as being a skeptic, in general. In business,
9. she always would analyze problems and researched them to find the best
10. solution. She enjoyed researching and proving matters about what someone said
11. to be factual.
12. 
    
13. She believed in fairness and honesty at all times, when handling a crisis that
14. affected her family. Her family was in awe of her brilliant intelligence and would
15. seek her out for her wisdom and experience in legal matters.
16. 
    
17. At the young age of 12 years old, Renee began to appreciate hard work, learn new
18. job skills and earning money for herself. Throughout her life, she also was a saver
19. and thrifty when it came to money matters. Renee’s favorite subject in high school
20. was Home Economics and Business. Her favorite high school teacher was Ms.
21. Platt, her Home Economics teacher. She considered her a great role model. Renee
22. had a passion for sewing and she received many praises from her friends and
23. family on the outfits she wore. While growing up as a youth and into adulthood,
24. she always respected her aunts and uncles and held them in high regard. They
25. served as special role models for her.
26. 
    
27. During a few summer breaks, along with other youths in her neighborhood, she
28. would earn money by picking blueberries at the local farms in the Burlington City
29. areas. A few years later, during the summer months, she would work as a
30. babysitter and also would baby sit her younger cousins. She assisted her Aunt
31. Annie Gittens, who was a member of Slade Valentine American Legion Org., with
32. the delivering of flyers to Burlington City residents’ homes. In addition to, she
33. worked as a receptionist at the Welcome Center, Army Base, Fort Dix, New Jersey.
34. 
    
35. After graduating from high school, Renee would go on to work as a waitress
36. briefly. Then she worked as a secretary at Tenneco Polymers Inc., Burlington
37. Township, New Jersey, and as a secretary at Hercules Inc. Burlington Township,
38. New Jersey.
39. 
    
40. At the age of 22, Renee ventured to California to seek new career opportunities.
41. For more than 40 years of her life, Renee chose to make California her home.
42. During her years in California, she would obtain career opportunities of becoming
43. a business owner, Grant Writer, Realtor, Urban Planner. Renee retired from federal
44. civil service as a Supply Systems Analyst, at Naval Supply Center, Oakland,
45. California.
46. 
    
47. Although our family was always proud of Renee’s educational and career
48. accomplishments, Renee’s personal relationship with God, her Christian faith and
49. living her life according to God’s principles was first and foremost in her life.
50. At the age of 39, Renee met the love of her life, Ronald Feil. They met
51. each other while shopping at the home improvement retailer, Home Base, in
52. Vallejo, California. They married on May 27, 2021. Their life together was a love
53. story. They both were devoted to one another, shared life’s ups and downs, loved
54. each other very dearly and was thankful to God for allowing them to share their
55. lives together on this earth.
56. 
    
57. Renee and Ron became longtime members of the Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.
58. They both fervently studied the bible and prayed together on a daily basis. They
59. both enjoyed other past times together such as traveling, gardening, experiencing
60. and trying new foods at restaurants. Renee found great joy in cooking Ron’s
61. favorite meals. They both had nicknames for one another. Ron called Renee, his,
62. “Lucy.” Renee called Ron her, “Ronny Boy.”
63. 
    
64. When the Lord called Renee home, Ron was there with her to comfort her, as
65. always, as she passed away peacefully to be with our Lord.
66. 
    
67. Renee, although we will miss the sound of your voice and your physical presence
68. here with us, we are comforted in knowing you are happy and at peace now, with
69. your loved ones in heaven, and God is taking the very best care of you. When the
70. Lord calls us home, we will see you again in heaven.
71. 
    
72. Renee is predeceased by her father, John Walter Smith. She is survived by her
73. loving husband, Ronald N. Feil, Mother, Mary Bonnie Gittens Smith, sisters, Carol
74. Murphy and Paulette Schettino- Rembert, Jonnetta (Stephen) Smith-Wolff,
75. Godson/nephew, Brandon Kuciak and Nicolas Kuciak, along with a host of
76. nephews, cousins and special friends.
77. 
    
78. With Love and Appreciation,
79. Ronald Feil and Smith Family
80. 
    
81. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
82. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have sent a card or
83. called or shown us other acts of kindness.