Renee Bowden Ranney

Renee Bowden Ranney, 73, of Mesa, Arizona, peacefully passed away on December 28, 2025, after a courageous battle with uterine cancer. She was surrounded at home by her husband and three children, exactly as she wished.

Renee was born on September 11, 1952, to Daloy and Denece Bowden in Provo, Utah. She was the second of eight children and spent her youth in Richland, Washington, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The family later settled in Livermore, California, where Renee met her future husband, Nelson Ranney, during her teenage years. They dated in high school and later attended Brigham Young University, where Renee earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Clothing and Textiles. Renee and Nelson were married on June 28, 1974, in Oakland, California. They made their home in Arizona, where they raised their children among many dear neighbors and lifelong friends.

Renee later continued her education at Northern Arizona University, earning both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Elementary Education. She spent many fulfilling years teaching first and second grade, as well as reading intervention programs. Renee delighted in finding creative and fun ways to help her students fall in love with reading while nurturing curiosity in science and the arts.

After retiring from teaching, Renee embarked on a second career as a costume designer for local and professional theater companies, including the Phoenix Opera Company, Arizona Theatre Company, Phoenix Theatre, and various dinner theaters. Her exceptional eye for detail and deep love of textiles brought countless characters and stories to life. She cherished collaborating with actors and artists and took great pride in her work.

Creativity was a constant thread throughout Renee’s life. In addition to sewing, she was skilled in quilting, embroidery, fiber arts, and weaving. She also enjoyed jewelry making and watercolor painting. Renee dedicated much of her life to service through church programs, particularly with Young Women and Relief Society. More recently, she completed a service mission supporting individuals and families experiencing food and housing insecurity and served for three years in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

Renee’s greatest joy was her family. As a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, she created a home filled with warmth, curiosity, and adventure. Renee and Nelson would find new love of kayaking, motorcycling, and 4-wheeling. Family trips included Christmas tree cutting in the mountains, hiking the Grand Canyon, train travel across the United States, and a river cruise through Europe—always with museums, craft fairs to peruse. She treasured time spent with her parents, in-laws, siblings, nieces, and nephews in California and Utah. In recent years, she fulfilled cherished dreams of traveling with family to Hawaii and cruising to Alaska.

Above all, Renee adored being a grandmother. Time spent with her grandsons—Sawyer, Ewan, and Angus—was her greatest happiness. She delighted in baking, reading stories, making forts, searching for fairies in the garden, and engaging in famously enthusiastic Nerf battles. Bedtimes were often joyfully postponed in favor of fun.

Renee is survived by her beloved husband of 51 years, Nelson Ranney; her children, Jessica Ranney, Lee Ranney, and Joseph Ranney; her daughters-in-law, Kelly Floth Ranney and Beth Ranney; and her cherished grandsons Sawyer, Ewan, and Angus Ranney.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Chapel at 1430 N. Grand Rd, Mesa, Arizona, 85201. All are welcome to attend this celebration of Renee’s life.

The funeral service zoom link is https://zoom.us/j/95227404362?pwd=ohoheb8xaylAzjqREyWEI9vzrd6qmO.1

Directly following the service will be the interment at the Mountain View Cemetery at 7900 East Main St, Mesa, Arizona 85207.

Also in lieu of flowers, if you feel so inclined you may donate to the American Cancer society’s uterine cancer research fund in honor of Renee.
The American Cancer Society https://share.google/nMisDHsGYOrEDIETk

Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.