Renee Coppinger      

Renee Coppinger has passed away after losing her long battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Renee, a valued member of our Society as well as a trusted colleague and friend to those that knew her, died shortly after 11:00 p.m., December 31, 1998, just before many of us celebrated the New Year's arrival.

Renee, 39, was employed at United Medical Center in Cheyenne for eight years as an R.T. She has three children; Mary, who is 18, Audra, who is 13 and Chance who is 3 years old. Her children are currently living with Renee’s sister Robin in Cheyenne. United Medical Center has established savings accounts for the children at Western Vista Credit Union in Cheyenne for their future needs. If you would like to contribute you may send your donation to the UMC Radiology Department, attn: Renee Coppinger funds. We will have a more permanent address established shortly.

I would like to dedicate this page to Renee and the memories of her. If any of you would like to express any thoughts or prayers about her or her family, please write to me at mlewis@wsrt.org and I will post them here. Eventually, I will print the page and send it to her family so that her children may know the love and caring that some of us felt towards her.

I would like to share a poem that was given to my family when we tragically lost one of my brothers, and my youngest sisters' husband (she was 3 months pregnant at the time of their death), in the same automobile accident. It may sound familiar, as it was originally written by Edward A. Guest. It still gives me comfort when I relive that loss, or learn of another friend or loved one who passes on.

     I'll lend you for a little time, this child of mine, He said.
     For you to love the while she lives, and mourn when she is dead.
     It may be six or seven years, or thirty-two or three.
     But will you, till I call her home, take care of her for me?
     She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and shall her stay be brief,
     You'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.
     I cannot promise she will stay, since all from earth return,
     But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.
     I've looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true.
     And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, I have selected you.
     Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labor vain,
     Nor hate me when I come to call, to take her back again?
     I fancied that I heard them say, Dear Lord, thy will be done.
     For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
     We'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may;
     And for the happiness we've known, will ever grateful stay.
     But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we planned,
     We'll brave the bitter grief that comes, and try to understand.

We should all feel proud to have known someone as courageous as Renee. She always had a ready smile, even when she felt she didn't have the energy to go further. I pray she has found the peace she deserves, although she will be sadly missed by a great number of people in our community.

From a friend - Linda Larson

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for I'm free,
     I'm following the path God has laid you see.

I took his hand when I heard his call,
     I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day......, to laugh, to love, to work, or play.
     Tasks left undone may stay that way,
          I found the peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void,
     then fill it with remembered joys.

A friendship shared........, a laugh, a kiss,
     o yes, those things, I too will miss.

But not burdened with time or sorrow-
     I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full,
     I savored much,
          good friends,
               good times,
                    a loved ones' touch.

Perhaps my time seems all too brief-
     don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and peace to thee-
     God wants me now;
          He set me free.

Author Unknown

I will miss Renee's happy go lucky personality and smiles. May she forever rest in the hands of God.

Sincerely, Heather Wiseman

Renee was the gutsiest gal I've ever known. She's been my idol for awhile now.

She lived with a terrible disease for many years and fought it with a vengeance. She never gave up; she always figured she'd feel better tomorrow. Renee presented a cheerful smiling face to the world around her. She didn't  let her guard down often but every once in awhile you could look into those smiling eyes and see the hidden pain she endured, yet she never let on.

Renee had faith that God would not let her endure more than she could. She had endured enough and God took her home to a painless world. Our world will miss her.

I'll remember her always as the girl with the smiling eyes who fought like a tigress for life. If I only have half her courage in my lifetime I will consider myself blessed. She was a true inspiration to me as well as a dear friend and confidant.

Kathy Brown

 Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills;
     from where is my help to come?

My help comes from the LORD,
     the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved
     and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel
     shall neither slumber nor sleep;

The LORD himself watches over you;
     the LORD is your shade at your right hand,

So that the sun shall not strike you by day,
     nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
     it is he who shall keep you safe.

The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in,
     from this time forth for evermore.

I have been troubled and somewhat agonizing over just what to say and perhaps even what to feel since Renee passed away exactly eight days ago, just about to this very minute. It’s difficult to place into words the feelings I have right now.

I’d known Renee since her first days of being a radiography student about a decade ago and since then, I suppose I most respected her for her honesty in expressing herself with others and she always remained true to that with me. I loved her smile. Even when she might have been cross with me, I had to question whether she was actually serious or not as the twinkle in her eye and a slightly upturned lip always seemed to betray her.

She continually looked for the good in just about any situation and although she was certainly courageous, she was also frightened at times at what her future would entail. I remember that during one conversation with her while she was in the hospital some time ago, she weeped with me in concern for her children and that she just wasn’t ready to leave them. I reminded her that she hadn’t gone anywhere yet and suggested that at least at that point, I didn’t think the Lord was quite ready to bring her home. She smiled, albeit with a tear in her eye and I think that we both understood that there was still much life left to be lived for her, which I think turned out to be true.

From that inspiration from her, I placed a ribbon of silver tape on my name badge to serve as a daily reminder to me of her courage in continually searching for the positive in the face of uncertainty and perhaps even adversity. Now that her trials have ended, I find that I miss her terribly.

May God hold her in his bosom and comfort her from her suffering. I pray for him to bring peace and strength to her family in their grief and that he bless and watch over her children that they may grow up strong, courageous and know happiness in their future lives.

Goodbye my friend. Know that you were loved and that you were indeed a kind and decent person. I will never forget you.

-Mike Lewis

"hang on there, i'm coming"

for renee,

strange, how you are here with us one minute and then just as quickly you are gone........
     a very important part of our collective "us" and now that awful silence.

still, i wonder where you are now
     your smile lives on in your children
          your face is still here, i saw it on your sister,

still, there are some things that are missing and that of course is your smile
     it isn't here anymore to comfort us.
          that smile was like your signature
               you are gone and with you goes that special and infectious ability you had to see things    with such great happiness and possibility.

in these past years, i was blessed to be able to work along side of you
     we shared the same struggles of single mothers and we empathised,
          we shared a career and we both grew and aided each other,
               we worked in our commuity building a home for ourselves and our children

i remember how excited you were to be able to buy a home,
     i had been there and i knew how empowered you felt;
          you were beating the odds.

.i remember when you were first diagnosed.
     you were so inspiring to me.
          you only saw your disease as an inconvenience.
               we all stood beside you, how we all admired your attitude!

renee,
     i know where you are now.
          you are a very special part of me now and
          you live on not only in your children and family
          but inside me and all of us who were blessed to
          be a part of your life and death,

you still inspire and encourage me.
     we have all been touched by your death,
          but more of us have been so touched by your life,
               i know that your battle is over and for myself,
               i believe that you won the battle,

renee,
     you won.
          and now you are disease free
               and..............
                    in heaven

i hear they have been needing some really good techs up there
     well,
          they now have one of the best.

....hang on, renee.............i'm coming.................

-lkh