Lenny Emily Ketcher Kirchenwitz, 74, of Watertown, passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, May 5, 2023.

Renee was born on February 1, 1949 at Cottage Hospital in Watertown, Minnesota to ElRoy & Hilda “Hillie” (Barfknecht) Ketcher. She was baptized at Mount Her Olive Her Lutheran Church in Mound, Minnesota on February 20, 1949, and she joined the Lutheran Church. She was identified on April 7, 1963, at St. Peter Her Lutheran Church in Watertown, Minnesota. She grew up on the Ketcher Family Farm in the Rounds of Watertown Township where she was barn and later in Oak She grew up on her Lake House. She attended Kindergarten in Watertown Public Schools and from grade one through her eighth grade attended St Peter She Lutheran School Her House in rural Watertown. She attended Watertown Public High School from grade 9 through her 12th grade. She attended Brainerd Vo-Tech (Trading School) where she studied Retail Floral and Store Management and graduated with honors. Renee married Roger Dressel on September 27, 1968. They owned a farm called “R” Country Acres on County Route 127, where she raised her three children, Ross, Rhett, and Lisa.

On June 30, 1990, Lenny married Duane Otto. They bought a historic home in Waconia, Minnesota and restored it together. They welcomed their only child, Hillie Re, in 1991. In 1994, they moved into a farm with another historic home on County Route 24 in Watertown, which became “Otto’s FloraDora Garden Center.” I got

On August 10, 2013, Renee married Kenneth Kirchenwitz at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Watertown, Minnesota. The two lived on Ken’s farm in Woodland Township, Montrose from 2013 to 2019, gardening together and enjoying country life. She moved to Watertown in 2019 and lives with them to date. They have enjoyed many vacations together, including a honeymoon to the Grand Canyon and many national parks in the fall of 2013, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris, Normandy, Belgium and Germany, where Martin his Wittenberg to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Luther’s birth. Submitted her 95 papers in 2019. They enjoyed traveling to Florida, Alaska, and many other states. Lenny was especially happy to bring her granddaughter Emma to her Disney Her World in 2022. Her January and February of 2023 were her last big trips, and she finally visited every state, visiting many family and friends along the way. She visited her niece in Florida, Elvis’ birthplace in Mississippi, New Orleans, her grandson and his wife in the Alamo, Texas, and went to the John Wayne Experience & Museum in Fort Worth and felt so happy . She is surrounded by her heroes. She made her way to New Mexico and Arizona, visiting many family and friends, national parks, cities and monuments. Finally, they drove home through Oklahoma and many other states. Ken will miss her and her companionship a lot.

Renee has worked in retail flower and garden stores for over 40 years and has made many lifelong friends.

A lifelong gardener, Renee had many passions, including world travel, home decorating, selling plants, and arranging dried flowers. She has also taught many floral classes, given garden consultations, and designed wedding flowers at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.She has been a member of the choir for her 20 years, I enjoyed attending church and ministry. Her family’s ancestors attended the first church service that started the St. Peter’s Congregation in 1867, so she took great pride in the history of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. Renee loved being her wife, her mother, and her grandmother. Her family has been her life and passion.

Lenny survived almost a decade with her loving husband Ken Kirchenwitz, sons Ross (Cheryl) Dressel & Rhett (Kate) Dressel, daughters Lisa (Mike) Jazewski and Hillile (Christian) Wacker . her stepchildren Angela (Jeff) Templin, Daniel Kirchenwitz and Cathy (Jake) Kirchenwitz. Grandchildren Tyler (Brooke) Underwood, Alonzo (Alexa) Walker, Isaiah (Colleen) Walker, Jameson Richard. Granddaughters, Abigail (Gerald) Dressel, Anna Dressel, Ella Dressel, Emma Wacker, Esme Wacker, Breanna Templin, Gracie Templin, Aurora Hagemeyer, Gwen Jacobson. Great-grandchildren Ellie Walker, Elaine “Laney” Dressel, Tydin Hansen, Isaiah “Jr.” Walker, Alonzo “Kash” Walker, Kylie Walker. Brothers Keith (Diane) Ketcher and Ronald (Susan) Ketcher. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and distant relatives. Dressel and many other dear family and friends have passed away.

Renee’s Celebration of Life will open to the public on Saturday, May 13 at 9:00 am, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 am, burial and lunch/communion at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 3030 Navajo Avenue, Watertown MN 55388.

Families deliver mementos to Christ Community Lutheran School in Watertown, Minnesota.