Renee Elaine Strain (Register) was born on July 22, 1946 in Frederick Oklahoma to Lloyd Eldo Register, Jr. and Ethel Lorene Goodman. Renee was a very active young girl who was involved in Camp Fire girls, Horizon Club, and various other community activities. She also enjoyed playing softball and golf. At the age of 16, in October 1962, Renee read a booklet about the Sabbath by Mr. Armstrong, which her parents had, and she asked her father if he believed the Sabbath was Saturday, which he affirmed. From that time on, for two years, she kept the Sabbath privately at home because there were no local church congregations. In 1964, she applied to Ambassador College and was accepted. She was then baptized in May 1965. Also, her parents began attending the Worldwide Church of God after she entered Ambassador College; her dad was eventually ordained an elder.

Renee met Keith Walden at Ambassador College, and after graduating in 1968, they were married on June 30, 1968. They were selected for the ministerial training program and began serving in the full-time ministry. Mr. & Mrs. Walden’s first assignment was Albuquerque New Mexico, and Keith was ordained an elder June 15, 1970. They served congregations in New Mexico, Texas, and West Virginia. After a year-long Sabbatical in Pasadena, CA, they served in congregations in Texas, New Mexico, Florida, and lastly again back to Albuquerque New Mexico. They faithfully served in the full-time ministry until Keith’s death, November 29, 2007, in Austin Texas, at which time Renee remained in Austin to be close to her daughters.

After dating for two years, God brought Renee and John Strain together in marriage on July 21, 2013, in Charlotte North Carolina, after which time Renee continued to serve as a minister’s wife. Mr. Strain and Renee served congregations in south Florida and then in Charlotte, Statesville and Kannapolis North Carolina. Mrs. Strain was a wonderful Christian wife, mother, and grandmother who remained faithful to God until her death, on the Sabbath, December 21, 2024. She will be remembered for being a fabulous cook, a warm hostess, and for her talented decorating and impeccable style. Above all, she had an unwavering commitment to God’s work, and dedicated her life to that for 62 years.

The funeral service will be Friday, December 27 at 11am, at Heritage Funeral Home, 3700 Forest Lawn Drive, Weddington NC, with Mr. Paul Shumway, officiating minister, followed by a private family graveside burial on Tuesday, December 31, in the Frederick Oklahoma Memorial Cemetery, with Mr. Wyatt Ciesielka, officiating minister. Renee is survived by her loving husband, John Strain, her daughters by her first marriage: Tess Ciesielka and her husband Wyatt, of Raleigh, North Carolina, Audrey Robinson and her husband John, and Jodie (Dumas) and her husband Shawn of Charlotte North Carolina; grandchildren (by whom she was known as Grandmam), Chloe (Frederick) and Kezia Ciesielka, Maddie (Fausone) and Ella Robinson; Finn and Kye Dumas. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, and her older brother Lloyd Register III.