AVON — Helen Irene “Rene” Mole, age 88, passed away Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012, at St. Mary of the Woods retirement facility, Avon, Ohio, after a long illness.
She was born Sept. 14, 1924, in Berea, Ohio, the daughter of Walter W. and Leila A. (Barnum) Buse. Rene was a 1942 graduate of Eaton High School where she was secretary of her class. She was a 1947 graduate of St. Alexis School of Nursing, Cleveland, and was proud of earning and maintaining the designation and licensure of Registered Nurse (R.N.), joining a family tradition that included her mother, Leila, her sister, Frances, and her aunt, Agnes Barnum.
After working as a staff nurse at Berea Community Hospital (now Southwest General Hospital), Rene married Wells W. Mole Jr. on Dec. 2, 1950, in Grafton. They were Grafton Village residents their entire married life and were married for 42 years until his death on Dec. 25, 1992.
A talented artist, Rene counted among her other hobbies and interests: Traveling, tole painting, flowers and gardening, baseball, golf and fishing. She took additional education courses in nursing later in life and did private duty nursing for invalid house-bound patients. She was a long-time member of the Altar and Rosary Society of the former Immaculate Conception Church, Grafton, and served as one of the parish’s religious education teachers for many years.
Surviving are her son, Richard J. (Kathy) of Andover, Ohio; her daughters, Beth M. Mole of Silver Spring, Md., and Ann Marie (Mole) Koenig of Chatham, Va.; six grandchildren, Martha (Rob) Chinnock, Rose (Jerry) Trepkowski, Kevin Mole, Lisa (Ben) Flores, Eileen Mole and Daniel Koenig; and three great-grandchildren, Abby and Amelia Chinnock and Natalya Trepkowski. Rene is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Rene was the last surviving member of her family. Preceding her in death were her parents and her two sisters, Frances Selecky and Mary Jean Masselle, as well as her two brothers-in-law, Lewis (Tom) Selecky Jr. and Francis (Fran) Masselle.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Dec. 12th, from 5 to 8 p.m. at BLACKBURN-DUKE FUNERAL HOME, 1021 Main St., Grafton.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 13th, in the Chapel of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 708 Erie St., Grafton, with the Rev. John Seabold presiding. Burial will take place immediately following at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Grafton.
Memorial contributions can be made to Our Lady Queen of Peace.
Arrangements by BLACKBURN-DUKE FUNERAL HOME, Grafton. Obituary and condolences at starbeacon.com.
