GLOUCESTER: Donald R. Renales, Jr., 61, died Saturday, October 27, 2007 at his home surrounded by his family following a courageous battle with Post Polio Syndrome and MELAS Syndrome. He was the husband of the late Christine M. (Rocha) Renales who died in November of 1994.
Born in Greeley, Colorado on July 1, 1946, he was the son of the late Donald R. and Nancy (Carmichael) Renales. He was a graduate of Gloucester High School and had attended North Shore Community College and Salem State College. He had resided in Gloucester most of his life before moving to Lynn six years ago.
Donald was employed as a type setter at the Gloucester Daily Times, where he also contributed as a writer and photographer for several years. He received several “Awards of Excellence” for technical writing. He also worked for several years at Varian Associates in Beverly and as an advocate for the disabled. He enjoyed fishing from his canoe and loved to cook.
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Kelly A. and John Broughton of Bradford, a son and daughter-in-law, Donald S. Renales and Michelle Chabot of South Hampton, NH, five grandchildren, Claire Renales, Gwen Chabot, Joseph and Justine Gatchell and Sarah Broughton, a great-granddaughter, Caydence Gatchell, three sisters Carole Renales and Pollyann Renales both of Lynn and Charlene Renales of Cape Coral, FL, three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Gary and Carolyn Renales of Murfreesboro, TN, Kenneth Renales of Nashville, TN and Craig and Lynn Renales of Gloucester, close friends, Reggie and Evelyn Daniel of Lynn and several nieces and nephews.
His funeral services will be held on Thursday in the Calvary Cemetery, Gloucester at 10 a.m. A celebration of his life will continue at the family home at 27 Cedar Brook Rd., Lynn from 12 – 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. At the family’s request, there are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the United Cerebral Palsy, Metro-Boston Chapter, 71 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472.