Rena Elizabeth Sheely
April 3, 1939 - February 26, 2026
Rena Sheely was born April 3, 1939 at St. Joseph’s Hospital and was a lifelong resident of Stockton, CA until 2025. Rena attended Franklin High School, Stockton College, the University of Hawaii, and graduated from San Jose State University. She joined the Gamma Lambda Chapter of the Delta Zeta Sorority. Growing up, she participated in flower arranging competitions and lived on a small farm with her brother Jakie, father Jake, and his siblings Pete and Liz. Rena’s aunt Liz, who was a talented flower arranger and gardener, took care of her when her mother Martha divorced her father and moved away. Later, her father re-married (Ada). After college, Rena worked briefly as a substitute teacher and as a social worker for the San Joaquin County Welfare Department. Soon she quit her job, married Steve Sheely and had a daughter and son. Rena lived in the family home in Lincoln Village West for 58 years. She was a member of the Stockton Branch of the American Association of University Women and attended the Stockton Symphony.
Rena considered herself a Christian and acted friendly and cheerful towards others. She enjoyed pets and had a fondness for cats. Reading was a hobby. She loved to collect little figurines and knick knacks. Birdwatching, short walks, bike rides, and boat rides in the San Joaquin Delta were also a source of joy.
She is survived by daughter Megan of Sacramento, CA; son Craig and his wife Jan of Pleasanton, CA; and grandchildren, Jessica and Kaitlin Sheely. She was predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Steve Sheely.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Sheely family.
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