Donald Rennicke

Rennicke's Two Loves Donald Charles Rennicke grew up on a farm in Mequon, Wisconsin and found his two true loves, his wife Betty Ann and baseball. Over the years, baseball and his love for Betty remained two constants while both led to many wonderful moments in his life that he took great pride in. Don passed away of natural causes on Friday at the age of 85. He was a tremendous athlete and starred in baseball at Shorewood High School, and threw the first and only nine inning no-hitter at Mequon Park (now Rennicke Field) in 1951. Don and Betty met, of course, at a baseball field back in 1948, and the two were married on December 20, 1952. A lifelong resident of Mequon, Don graduated from Shorewood High School in 1948, and earned a Bachelor's degree from Wisconsin State Teachers College, now known as UW-Milwaukee. After his undergraduate work, he received a graduate degree from the University of Oregon. Don returned to Wisconsin and become an English teacher and coached football, basketball and baseball at South Milwaukee High School. From there he was recruited by his good friend, Joe Klucarich, to help form the administration at Granville High School (Brown Deer High School), where he served under Joe as the assistant principal as well as the baseball coach. He served in this same capacity at Homestead High School, where he stayed twenty-three years before retiring in 1989. As a coach, Don amassed 321 wins, won numerous conference, regional, and sectional titles along with two Wisconsin State Baseball Championships. All three of his sons, Scott, Randy and Dean, played for him at Homestead High School. Randy and Dean both pitched their dad to the State Baseball Championships in 1974 and 1978. Mequon Park was renamed to Rennicke Field in honor of Don in June of 1979. Don's leadership was evident as the executive director for the Braveland Conference for twenty-four years, as well as serving as the President of the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. He also taught education at Concordia University of Wisconsin and ran the Milwaukee Brewers Youth Camps for eleven years. This past summer Coach Rennicke was most recently named to the Brown Deer High School Athletic Hall of Fame, adding to his memberships in the Wisconsin High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Land 'O Lakes Baseball Hall of Fame, The Old Time Ballplayers Association Hall of Fame, The Homestead High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Homestead High School Hall of Inspiration. He is survived by his wife, Betty and three sons Dr. Scott (Jean), Randy (Judy), Dean (Margaret) and daughter Amy Welzien (Jim) along with twelve grandchildren, Andy (Chelsie), Tim (Crystal), Sarah, Shannon, Randall, Jordan (Mandy), Rebekah, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Megan, Abigail, Charlie and three great grandchildren, Hailey, Nolan and Evan. Don treasured his relationship with his entire family and spent countless hours at his children and grandchildren's events. Between the four children and twelve grandchildren, they earned 64 varsity letters. A family man of faith, Don selflessly gave himself to his family and community to share the love of God, optimistically determined to see the best in everyone. He remained a member of Trinity Evangelical Church South Mequon for his entire life. Visitation will begin at 3:30pm on Tuesday, December 15 at Calvary Lutheran Church located at 110 Division Street, Thiensville, WI 53092. A Christian Victory Service will be held immediately following the visitation at 7:00pm. Memorials can go to the Homestead Baseball Boosters for continued renovations on Rennicke Field, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church South Mequon or a charity of your choice.