Renee Dian (Hymas) White, a beloved member of the Woodland community, passed away unexpectedly on April 27, 2023, at the age of 57. Born in Vancouver, Washington, Renee attended Lincoln Elementary, Shumway Middle and Hudson Bay Schools before pursuing a career in beauty. However, she soon realized that her true passion lay in accounting and business administration, and she graduated from WSU Vancouver in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in these fields.
Renee’s hard work and dedication paid off and she was promoted to executive vice president of finance and operations, a position she held for over 20 years. In 1998, she met Ed, the love of her life, and they married in 2001. Together, they enjoyed traveling on their Harley, “Special Red,” and in their RV. Renee was also a devoted aunt to her nieces and nephew, treating them as her own children, and she cherished her grandsons, Owen and Leo, whom she loved taking to school.
Renee was known for her generosity and selflessness, always putting others’ needs before her own. She was an active member of Friends of Woodland Community Library, helping to raise funds for the construction of Woodland’s new library.
Renee is survived by her husband, Ed White; her son, Yuji White; her daughter-in-law, Alex Griffin; and her grandsons, Owen and Leo, all of Vancouver. She is also survived by her sister, Jeanette Caldwell; her brother-in-law, Clay Caldwell; and her niece, Cassie McClellen, all of Port Orchard, Washington; as well as her sister, Tami Bowie; her brother-in-law, Mike Bowie; her niece, Savanah Bowie, all of Brush Prairie, Washington; her nephew, Alec Cruden, of Moss Point, Mississippi; her grand-niece, Finley Cruden; of Moss Point, Mississippi; and her niece, Jocelyn Cruden.
Renee was preceded in death by her parents, Jerry and Denise Hymas; and her sister, Berta Cruden. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Friends of Woodland Community Library, P.O. Box 894, Woodland WA.
A wake/celebration of Renee’s life/open house will be held from noon to 4 p.m. June 10 at the Vancouver Firefighters Union Hall, located at 2807 NW Fruit Valley Road in Vancouver.