Raenell E. Fairchild, age 71 of Morley, passed away Friday, February 18, 2011 at Metron of Big Rapids after a valiant fight against a rare brain disease. Raenell had a strong spirit and lived 2 years longer than expected. Raenell was born on January 11, 1940 in Newberry, MI the daughter of the late Wray and Bertha (Etten) Zenker. She was the youngest of six children. Raenell met Arthur A. Fairchild in May of 1968 marrying him on August 17th of that same year in Newberry. The young couple moved to Great Falls, Montana where Art had a home. They lived in Great Falls until 1972 and moved back to Newberry to be close to her ill mother. Raenell was a stay at home mom until her children went off to school. Art's nursing career took the family to Pueblo, Colorado in 1976. Raenell volunteered at the children's schools assisting with reading and math and later worked in the school's cafeteria. They moved to Montana in 1985 so Art could earn his degree in Business Education. Later the family moved to Muskegon where Raenell worked at Mc Donalds. She also worked in Holland, Jenison, Standale and Big Rapids following the family moving there in 2000. Raenell enjoyed gardening, especially her flowers, collecting dolls, doing crossword and jig-saw puzzles, creating ceramics and making afghans until her eye sight went bad. Raenell was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Big Rapids. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Arthur of Big Rapids; four children Donald (Stephanie) Fairchild of Knoxville, TN, Karla Sears of Newport News, VA, Lisa (Doug) Mytton of West Olive, Shelly (Jerry) Garcia of Yakima, WA; one brother Richard (Alyce) Zenker of Newberry; four sisters Betty (Raymond) Hosler of Saginaw, Rose (Vincent) Vallier of Saginaw, Barbara (Leonard) Zandi of Muskegon and Nancy (Joseph) Arndt of Newberry; twenty-two grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held 3:00 p.m., Sunday, February 27, 2011 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with President Reinholt Hill officiating. Spring interment will be at Highland View Cemetery in Big Rapids. The family will greet friends on Saturday, February 26th at the Daggett-Gilbert Funeral Home in Big Rapids from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Stars Organization, 33006 W. Seven Mile Road, Suite 113, Livonia, MI 48512 or www.Stars-Kids.org/donate.html