W.T. Shumake & Daughters

Visitation 10-1 Saturday, January 28, 2023 at Community Missionary Baptist Church 4909 E. Indian Trail. Funeral t o follow at 1 pm. Burial Cave Hill Cemetery, Service will be live stramed at shumakefuneralhome.com/ live



Remembering the Life of Renee’

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1




A time to be Born . . .

Julia Renee’ Ray was born on April 1, 1954, in Louisville, KY to the union of Forest and Julia Mae Foster Ray. She was the youngest of four children. The Ray Family lived in Newburg, in the Old Broadmoor neighborhood. It was here that she developed her feisty spirit of being a tomboy by taking on any boy in the neighborhood that thought she was a pushover.



A time to Plant . . .

Renee' accepted Christ at an early age when her family was attending Central Baptist Church where she was a member of the Sunshine Band and sang in the choir. She later moved her membership to Community Baptist Church where she continued her stewardship in various ministries. serving as the arts and crafts teacher at Vacation Bible School. Her bright smile, unique ideas, and engaging activities made her the favorite of all those in attendance year after year. She was appointed Superintendent by the late Rev. William T. Shumake, despite the many times she told him it would be her last year; it fell on deaf ears. Renee' utilized her high school performing arts experience by directing the annual Christmas plays at Community Baptist. She recruited her childhood friend, now church member, Anne Ellery to be the playwright. Together with the help of fellow members, they produced many memorable programs. Renee' was active in various church activities, however, her greatest love was singing in the choir. She used her beautiful alto

voice to praise the name of Jesus! Her hand clapping and her swaying to the beat of the gospel music was a sure sign that Renee' was in the choir stand.

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A time to Love . . .

Renee' was a loving, caring, and devoted sister, wife, mother, mother-in-love, grandmother, aunt, niece, and friend. She was united in holy matrimony on February 14, 1975, and from this union, two sons were born, Mitchell Kyle and William Melvin Randle. She was a strong, yet loving mother to her boys. She regularly attended Sunday School with her young boys in tow, instilling a foundation of strong morals and faith in God. She supported them in all of their many sports activities, in and out of town. While growing up, her house was the all-day and overnight hangout for their cousins and friends. She loved her boys unconditionally and was one proud Momma!


Renee’ effortlessly became the loving “Nana” after the birth of her grandchildren. Her first daughter-in-love, Danielle, quickly learned there were different rules in Nana's house when it came to their two boys. The foods they ate, when they would be weaned from the pacifier, what clothes would be purchased for them, what furniture and bedding they needed, or who was taking them to Sunday School, were never a question for debate. All of these decisions were implemented by Nana, regardless of the time it took or the amount of money to be spent. Danielle couldn't help but genuinely love Renee' like another mother, in spite of how she sometimes felt as a new mother. She wisely prepared Shelly, Nana’s second daughter-in-love for life with Renee’ when Shelly’s girls came along. The endless array of dresses selected by Nana and the love for “The Girls” was the icing on the cake for Renee'. Nana left behind such an abundance of love that her spirit will eternally live in the souls of DeRayvon’s children, Carter and Jason who are too young to remember her. When her elder sister passed, Renee’ took on the responsibility of raising her nieces, Rita and Davida. She provided them with love and guidance that continued into their adult life and created a special bond between them.

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A time to Sow . . .

In the first grade at Newburg Elementary School, a brief scuffle at the water fountain was her initial encounter with her lifelong friend, Mera "Laney" Cole. They sowed a friendship that extended through elementary, high school, college, and adulthood. Despite career moves to various cities by Laney, they remained sister/friends to the end.

Renee' earned the leading role in her senior play at Seneca High School, in the musical, "Mame." The summer prior to her attending college she landed a speaking role in the Stephen Foster Story, located in Bardstown KY. After graduation, she attended Western Kentucky University where she furthered her cheerleading abilities and pursued a degree in Education. She left Western after one year and enrolled at the University of Louisville where she received a BS in Elementary Education.

Julia (her professional name) returned to her alma mater, Newburg Middle School, first as an ECE teacher and later taught 8th Grade Science. She earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from UofL while at Newburg. Betty Graham and Julia started teaching at Newburg around the same time. They quickly developed a close bond as their families enjoyed spending time together. Betty’s daughter Faith (Graham) Stroud, became a fixture in the Randle household. Julia and Betty maintained their bond throughout their career paths and beyond.



Julia decided to further her education in order to seek a position as a school administrator. She carpooled to Bowling Green KY with other colleagues from Louisville to obtain her Rank I in School Administration. Not only did she receive a Rank I from WKU, but she formed a bond with individuals in the cohort program that spanned the life of her career.

..................Column Break..................During this sowing season of her life, Julia impacted the lives of many, many students with her hands-on, interactive teaching style. She also encouraged students to be the best version of themselves by constantly reinforcing respect for others. If you were a student in Mrs. Randle's class you KNEW she was in charge and she did not allow any student to disrespect her or disrupt others from learning. While at her alma mater, Julia touched the lives of students outside of the classroom as well as in the classroom. She was cheerleading coach, the girls basketball coach, and also took the lead in various school activities in order to expose students to a positive life outside of the classroom. As she moved into her role as an administrator she practiced tough love with students and expanded her impact on parents as well. She also served as a valuable resource for her colleagues.

She remained at Newburg until she moved to Kennedy Metro as Principal. When her stint at Kennedy ended, she went to Crosby Middle School as Assistant Principal.


It was during her tenure at Crosby that she encountered a young boy that stole her heart. He was involved in basketball and track at Crosby but just couldn't seem to catch a break in life......until he met Julia Randle! Initially, Julia helped out looking after this young boy with his coach, Chad Pasley. As time went on, with encouragement from Heather Graham (a friend of the boy’s foster mother), Julia decided to make a change in her life. Although her two older sons were grown and on their own, Julia opened her home and heart to that young boy, DeRayvon Thomas, making him a legal member of their family. This in turn united Heather, her son Isiah, Pasley, and his family as special friends of Julia and DeRayvon forever.


Julia retired from JCPS while Assistant Principal at Crosby. It was Betty’s daughter, at the time Principal Faith Stroud that enticed her "second mother" to come out of retirement again to work for her as Administrative Support at several schools including T.T. Knight, Frost and Stuart Middle.


She also served as an Interim Assistant Principal at several elementary schools over the years.


Julia ended her education career seving as a Leadership Coach to new Assistant Principals and supporting their growth and development.

A time to Laugh . . .

Renee’ had a bright smile and a huge personality that lit up any space she occupied. Whether it was her mispronouncing a word or your name, making a woo woo sound when expressing herself, twisting her mouth with her red lipstick on to describe a situation, or just waking up in the morning whistling and singing, you were guaranteed a great time when she was around.

She worked hard, played harder, and prayed the hardest. She was passionate about her students and their success. She always made time for her friends, whether it was her annual week-long trip to the beach that included Anne and Christal (The Three Amigos) or her 38+ years of playing Bunco monthly with her crew. Continuous laughing, refreshing beverages, and good food were the recipe for an amazing adventure with Renee’! She formed lasting relationships with friends in Denmark, SC when she visited a close friend each Christmas holiday. They constantly called and prayed for her during her illness.

But most of all, Renee’ prayed the hardest for her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She genuinely loved her choir members, her Pastor, and her entire church family. She always made it a point to go to Rev. Shumake’s office to kiss him on the top of his head during her transition from Sunday School to morning service. She regularly expressed her love for the Lord during her mealtime prayer ending with, “we love You and we thank You. Amen!”

A time to Weep . . .

Renee’ was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Larry Eugene and her oldest sister Constance Deloris.

..................Column Break..................A time to Die . . .

Renee' passed away peacefully, at the age of 68, on January 18, 2023 at Baptist Health Louisville, with her dear friend Christal Sweeney by her side.

A time to Mourn . . .

Left to cherish her memory are her loving sons, Mitchell Kyle (Danielle), William Melvin (Shelly), and DeRayvon Ramone Randle, Grandchildren: Mitchell Kyle II, Davis William, Tinsley Mae, Willow Renee’, Carter Mitchell, and Jason Thomas Randle, Sister: Sharon Baker, Nieces: Rita Hennig and Davida Holt, Nephews: Leslie “Clee” (Caron) and Forest “Ray” (Heather) Hall, Aunts: Sue Ann Hunt (Ozark, AL), and Emma Ray Hughes, her family in Chicago and Tennessee, Sister-Cousin: Deborah George, and a host of Great nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.



Shiny and sparkly

And splendidly bright

Here one day

Gone one night.

Like the loss of sunlight

On a cloudy afternoon

Gone too soon.