Mabel Hackley Renz, 94, passed peacefully December 4 th with family present.
Mabel was born on the family farm in the Cherry Creek Community south of Culbertson on July 23, 1929, fourth of eight children, to H.T. and Leoma Hackley.
She attended Cherry Creek school and graduated from Culbertson high School.
She worked in the bank in Culbertson and then moved to Wolf Point and worked at Western Bank and in the evenings at the theater – she told us she never attended the free movie after her shift.
She met Robert Renz in Culbertson, and they were married in Miles City in 1955. They resided on the Renz family homestead along the Missouri River south of Poplar, where they farmed and ranched for many years. She moved thousands of small bales with her Oliver tractor and bale wagon!
Although they never had children of their own, they were very involved with generations of nieces and nephews-following their school and sports events and taking them on the Culbertson Trail Ride.
Mabel was a long-time active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Poplar. She also belonged to the Mona Homemakers for many years. One of her favorite pastimes was hiking in the Badlands with her friends from church, enjoying nature and visiting.
Many people probably have received a quilt or other hand sewn items over the years. During many winters you could find her living room filled with stacks of fabric and the massive quilt frame, that took up almost the entire room.
When Robert passed in 1999, Mabel stayed on the farm until she had to go to the Faith Lutheran Home- where her first question when visitors was, “How are the cows and Sparky doing?”
Mabel is preceded in death by her husband Robert Renz; parents, H.T. and Leoma Hackley; sister Alice Walker; brothers Charles and Henry Hackley.
She is survived by her siblings-Robert (Margaret) Hackley and family, Amy (Jerry) Pittman and family, Tom (Sandi) Hackley and family, Ray (Peggy) Hackley and family, and by her beloved dog Sparky.
Condolences for the family may be left using the form below.