Renee Sybil Engel, an interior designer and Jewish community activist in Denver, passed away May 14, 2009. Funeral services, with Rabbi Marc Gitler officiating, took place May 15 at EDOS with interment at Mt. Nebo Cemetery.
At EDOS, Mrs. Engel was eulogized by her son Jeffrey, her brother-in-law Michael Newberger, her sister-in-law Barbara Engel, and by friends Florence Rosen, Evi Makovsky and Barbara Geller.
Mrs. Engel was a native of Milwaukee, born Renee Malkin on Oct. 9, 1941, the daughter of Anne and Alex Malkin. She had resided in Denver since 1968. She attended college in Wisconsin and furthered her education in Denver at the Interior Design Internship program.
She married Dr. Tibor (Ted) Engel in Denver on Feb. 17, 1972.
For decades, until shortly before she passed away, Mrs. Engel owned and operated Renee Engel Design, a Denver-based firm. Her design influence can be seen in many of Denvers most beautiful homes.
She was an active member of EDOS, having joined that congregation with her husband in 1977. She also worked as a volunteer for a number of Denver-area schools and actively supported Hillel Academy, Herzl-RMHA, the Allied Jewish Federation Womens Division, Rose Medical Center Auxiliary, Hadassah and AIPAC.
Renee was widely known for her mastery in the kitchen, her family said in a statement this week. Her kosher cuisine and the warmth of her home were her signatures. Above all Renee was beloved for her exceptional kindness and generosity. All who knew her were touched by her enduring virtue, by her thoughtful deeds, and her unique penchant for seeing only the good in people.
Mrs. Engel is survived by her husband Dr. Tibor (Ted) Engel; son Jeffrey (Lynne) Kohen of Nelson, New Zealand; daughters Susan (Bob Giges) Kohen of Santa Cruz, Calif., Rebecca Engel of Dili, East Timor and Deborah Engel of New York City; and her sister, Charlotte (Michael) Newberger of Chicago. She was the grandmother of Oliver Sircombe-Kohen.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation (www.PanCan.org), to the Denver Hospice (DenverHospice.org), or to the East Denver Orthodox Synagogue.
