Renae Dawn (Blewett) Besler, 86, passed away peacefully with her children by her side on June 6, 2023, in Whitewood, South Dakota.

Renae was born August 28, 1936, to Reuben Wellington and Hilda Marie (Mossestad) Blewett in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. After graduating from Garfield County High School in 1954, she attended Central Business College in Denver. Upon graduation she worked for the US Geological Survey in Denver.

Renae loved traveling, and visited Jamaica, Haiti, Curacao, Norway (twice), Canada, Cuba, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, and England. She was always the "Hostess with the Mostest" as she loved entertaining and creatively prepared the most exquisite hors d'oeuvres, canapes, and desserts. She was a talented and eclectic home decorator, clothing designer, and enjoyed painting in watercolors. In high school, she was active in band, choir, and operettas. She was a member of the Order of the Rainbow as a girl, and later a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.  She sang in her church choir and could play the clarinet, saxophone, piano, and organ.

Renae met the love of her life, Ralph E. Besler, who was stationed at Lowry AFB, Denver. She married him on April 28, 1956, at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs. The couple soon were transferred to Homestead AFB, Miami, FL where Renae worked for Pan Am Airlines. Renae returned to Colorado for three years and worked in the seismic Department of Sun Oil and as secretary in the legal department. Renae then followed Ralph to Grand Forks, AFB, Grand Forks, ND. Renae worked as secretary for the Military Personnel Officer.

The couple transferred to Castle AFB, Merced, CA and Renae served as secretary for both the Deputy Commander of Maintenance and the Hospital Commander. While stationed at Ramey AFB, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Renae worked for the USAF Office of Special Investigations, and later for the Hospital Commander. While at Ramey AFB, Renae played first base and shortstop in the women's softball league, and she also started a women's basketball league. After three years, the couple transferred to Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD. Two years later, the family moved to Renae's hometown of Glenwood Springs, planning to retire. Renae became assistant manager of the iconic Hotel Colorado. However, her husband was offered a job as an engineering contractor for the US Navy/Army Ammunitions Depot near McAlester, OK, so they packed up and moved again. Renae was hired as the executive secretary for the Commander of Navy Special Weapons (Code 90) in nearby Savannah, OK. She oversaw all classified and unclassified correspondence, did all the typing for the engineering department, and reviewed the plumbing and electrical schematics before computer installations to ensure no electronic viewing could occur withing ten miles of Code 90. Renae was the first civilian female to serve on the Navy Technical Proficiency Inspection Team inspecting activities dealing with nuclear weapons. She accompanied fact-finding missions to Washington, DC. One example was to determine whether the elevators and storage bays on submarines were compatible with the new Tomahawk missiles. Each year Renae arranged a Workload Conference on either the East or West Coasts for the Navy Air Systems Command and recorded minutes for every attendee. She retired in 1986 for health reasons.

Renae and Ralph then moved to Albuquerque, NM, where he worked at Kirtland AFB. The couple returned, again, to Glenwood Springs and designed and built their dream home on Mitchell Creek on Storm King Mountain. The 2002, Coal Seam Forest fire claimed their home after only 18 months of residence, and the couple relocated to Whitewood, SD, in 2003.

Renae was preceded in death by her parents, Reuben Blewett, Hilda Marie Cator, her brother, Rodger Dean Blewett; her stepfather, Bert Cator; and stepsisters, Betty (Reggie) McClung, and Bertie (Joe) Wells.

Renae is survived by her daughter, Melani (David) Roewe of Guthrie, OK; her son, Derek of Whitewood, SD; granddaughter, Jaciel (Randy) Berry, Edmond, OK; grandson, Andrew (Kimberly) Roewe of Quincy, IL; granddaughter, Shelby-Lyn Besler, Boise, Idaho; three great-granddaughters: Penelope, and Reagan Roewe, and Arya Berry; and multiple nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Renae asked that a donation be made to your choice of church program or charity that directly benefits children.

Friends and family are invited to the family's home for a Celebration of Life reception after the services.

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