14 | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | NEWS
Obituary: Renee Rinaldi DEC. 6, 1963 — AUG. 21, 2021 Renee Kathleen Rinaldi passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. She was born on Dec 6, 1963, in State College, Pa. Her spouse, Penny Peterson, could never remember the correct name and always called it “College Town,” which Renee thought was hilarious! Renee was the youngest of 5 children born to Richard and Verda Rinaldi. Verda called her “Renee Baby,” which over the years morphed into “Nibby Bon Bibby,” a term of endearment her mom always used when leaving a message. Renee traveled the world with her family while her father was in the military. A vivid memory of her time living in Germany was when St Nicholas and Krampus would come visiting on Christmas Eve, always fearful she would end up in the bag for “naughty children.” Renee was afraid of thunderstorms as a child, and to help her stay calm would hold onto sister Rachael’s hair and sing, “Who’s afraid of thunder, thunder’s just a lot of noise, who’s afraid of thunder, like the noise we make with toys, when the thunder comes with a boom boom boom, we get out our drums, and we room toom toom.” Even as an adult, she would sing this during a storm, and the kids, and Penny, would always laugh and join in. Renee and her family ended up in Colorado Springs, CO. She graduated from Doherty High School in 1982 and went on to BYU, where she graduated in 1986. Renee received her Master of Photography degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. She was quite surprised when, years later, BYU called and said, “you are only ½ a PE credit away from graduating,” as she thought she had graduated in 1986! Renee had taken a bowling class at BYU and was never able to break 100, even after multiple failed attempts, which kept her from completing the class and graduating. Shortly after finding out that she had not actually graduated from BYU, her diploma came in the mail, as BYU had forgiven the ½
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Issue 328 | OCTOBER, 2021
basement where it still sits today”! credit. She and Penny often laughed that In 2006 Renee and Penny decided to she received her master’s degree in 1986 start a family. They were so excited when and her bachelor’s degree in 2003. Renee lived in San Francisco for a their oldest son, Carter, was born in Salt year after BYU and always expressed Lake City in October 2006. Renee and fond memories of friends she met while Penny adopted Carter shortly after he was living there. She often admits she wasn’t born. They soon welcomed their second prepared for how cold it was in the city child, a daughter named Berkeley. Berkeand had to buy numerous coats at a thrift ley was born in Washington State in April store the first week there! 2008. Renee and Penny traveled to WashRenee Rinaldi, center in glasses holding ington State to complete the adoption the Queer Nation banner. Photo: Connell but were unable to return to Utah until O’Donovan the adoption was complete. They called While getting her master’s degree, she on their friends Trude and Jane in the Bay lived for a time with her oldest sister, Area, who let the four of them, plus two Susan, building a strong bond with Susan dogs, live in their basement for 30 days, during this time. They loved to sing forever grateful for their friends’ kindtogether, and both have beautiful voices. ness. Once the adoption was complete, Renee’s parents moved to Salt Lake, and and they were driving home from Seattle, Renee eventually followed. She ran the they looked at each other and said, “if we Utah Stonewall Center and became an acsurvived this, we can survive anything!” tivist with Queer Nation Utah along with They were so excited when California friends Connell O’Donovan and Tony Palmer. Renee was always a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and made lifelong friends all along the way. Renee and Penny met briefly for the first time at a friend’s party and then again Renee Rinaldi, center in sunglasses, with Queer Nation at the Utah Pride March in 1992. years later at a legalized marriage in 2013. They traveled Starz Game where Penny sensed Renee to California with Carter and Berkeley was going to be someone important in to be legally married. They were married her life. Renee and Penny became life at sunset, surrounded by many dear and partners in 2002 after Renee asked Penny close friends, on the balcony of Trude to give her “violin lessons,” which became and Jane’s home that overlooks the San a running joke with all their friends. Francisco Bay. Renee spent hours perfectIt’s interesting to note that Renee’s and ing the details of their wedding, which Penny’s parents already knew each other culminated in a wonderful celebration of because they sat next to each other at their love. Having children brought such BYU football games and lived in the same joy into their lives. Renee was a wonderful Stake. Renee was working for eBay when mother and gave the kids many opporshe and Penny met, which allowed them tunities due to her love of adventure. to build their beautiful home that they She enjoyed planning awesome themed called “the house that eBay built” because birthday parties with beautiful cakes to Renee cashed out her stock to buy it. match. Renee loved to cook and throw Renee handled the build and made every parties and would spend weeks planning decorating decision as she is incredibly creative and artistic. She filled their which she enjoyed as much as the actual home with beautiful art and, according to party! Renee loved to travel and, as a Penny, “put everything I own down in the Study Coordinator at the University of
