Rene' O. Bideaux

rene' bideaux
Asheville, NC – The Reverend Renè O. Bideaux, 77, of Asheville, died Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at Memorial Campus of Mission Hospitals. A native of Meadville, PA, he was a son of the late Marjorie Whitely and Charles Orville Bideaux. He was also preceded in death by his son, Charles, who died April 4, 2009. Renè came to North Carolina to study forestry at N.C. State University. After two years working in forestry, he felt called into the ministry, began seminary studies at Duke University and was ordained into the United Methodist Church. During his 38 years in ministry Renè and Rebecca served as missionaries in Costa Rica for five years; he held pastorates in North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island and was District Superintendent in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was Director of the Hinton Rural Life Center in Hayesville, N.C. before serving seven years as Associate General Secretary of the National Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. His final pastoral ap-pointment was in Chapel Hill, N.C. before retiring to Lake Junaluska January 1, 1994. Following his retirement, Renè devoted ten years to the Academy for Spiritual Formation of The Upper Room. His collection, "A Book of Personal Prayer" was published in 1997. From 2004 to 2009 he served as chaplain at the Brooks Howell Home in Asheville. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Rebecca Edge Bideaux; two daughters, Elise Beckstett and Debbie Gibbs; a sister, Alicia Weiland and four granddaughters, Alexandra, Jessica, Brittney and Elise. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday, May 17, 2009 at Biltmore United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hinton Rural Life Center, 2330 Hinton Center Road, Hayesville, NC 28904 or www.hintoncenter.org

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  1. Dear Becky and family,

    Our prayers and thought are with you upon Rene’ death. I (Betty) will remember is commitment to Spiritual Formation for those around him and his ministry at Brooks Howell Home. If we can be helpful in the days and weeks ahead, please contact us. God is with you,

    Betty and Art

  2. Dear Becky,

    We were saddend to hear of Rene’s death. We will miss his friendship and loving smile. We will remember him as fun person in our square.
    The square dance family has lost a wonderful person.

    We will keep you and your family close to our hearts as you go through this loss of Rene.

    Carol and Ron

  3. Rene was a very special person and will be missed by everyone who knew him. May thoughts and prays comfort you at this time of sorrow.

  4. Dear Becky and family, my heart is deeply saddened by the death of my dear spiritual mentor, Rene. His encouragement, support and leadership helped me hear the call to ordained ministry. I can still quote many of the things he said to me – even one of his more recent emails when he encouraged me in the exact same way he did twenty years ago. He knew me so well! Becky, I’m so thankful for you and your gracious spirit. I am sorry that I will not be able to be with you on Sunday to celebrate Rene’s life but know that you both will always be in my heart. Noah and Will send their love as do I. Love, Trish

  5. Dear Becky,
    I am saddened that I cannot attend the service in honor of Rene. He was an incredible spiritual mentor to me, and I will treasure the wisdom he imparted over the years we worked together at Orange UMC, and many times since. I mourn your loss and hold you in my prayers. Rita, Kristine, and Jonathon Bennett

  6. Dear Becky,
    My thoughts and prayers are with you.
    You certainly were special people to us in the Lake Junaluska community. Carroll always remembered Rene in the special way he served as his DS when Carroll was a Chaplain at the VA Hospital in Northhampton MA.

  7. Dear Family: We are sorry we can’t be with you this weekend but we are holding you close in prayer.
    We love you.
    Ken, Denise and Amber

  8. Rene’ will be missed as a collegue and friend. You will be in my thoughts and prayers…

    + Bill Presnell

  9. Our prayers and good wishes are with you all. Rene’ will be missed but his legacy will live on in all those whose lives he touched. Grace and peace be with you, and the comfort of God who knows what it is to mourn and to rejoice.

  10. It was indeed an honor and privilege to know and be in ministry with Rene. Yes, he did make a difference for God’s kingdom as he touched so many lives in a positive way. Our thoughts and prayer are with you.

  11. I always admired Rene’s ministry and he will be missed. God’s peace to you all. Yours, Joe Mann

  12. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Becky, as we remember all the ways that you and René have blessed our lives. He was a remarkable spiritual leader and a marvelous teacher. He was also someone who lived the Gospel in the ways that he ministered, and we will all miss him terribly. We will remember, and try to emulate, his gentle spirit, his wisdom, and his delightful sense of humor.

  13. Dear Becky, We were deeply saddened to learn of Rene’s death, as well as that of your son. We didn’t realize that your son had died until we read Rene’s obituary. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and all of your family during these most painful days. Rene was very special to us, as a friend, and we feel a great loss. We will always be especially grateful to him for bringing us to Hayesville and Hinton Rural Life Center. with our love and prayers, Ella Jean & Bob Davis

  14. Dear Family,
    We share your grief in what must be a most difficult time. We send to you our best wishes and to God our deepest prayers.
    Steve Hickle, Fairmont United Methodist Church

  15. Altho we didn’t get to know Renee real well, we do know he was a very special person. As noted by all, he will be missed in the square dance community and many other places. You & family will be in our prayers.
    Claudia

  16. I greatly appreciated and came to admire Rene while woring with him in the National Division of GBGM, My sincere condolences.

  17. Becky and Family, just as we mourned for you and your family only a few weeks ago, we find ourselves returning once again to the Altar of Sacrifice in prayer and thanksgiving for the life of Rene. I recall with great clarity that wintry Saturday morning 17 years ago when Rene and I met at Orange UMC for a private meeting where I shared with him (he was the first to know) my calling into Ordained Ministry. He said to me he wanted to share something with me that had occurred that morning and which held special meaning to him. During his morning prayers he told me how God had revealed to him that our meeting was to be about my calling into ministry. Rene had no idea I was thinking such a thing, and yet in his time of prayer he came to know in a spiritual way about my calling and what was yet to come. Rene was an instrument of my calling into ministry and he took me by the hand and led me through the methodical, tedious, and often seemingly slow process of becoming an Ordained Elder in the UMC. He, along with the Bishop, laid his hands upon my head at my Ordination. I kept his book on personal prayers in its own permanent place on the pulpit of every church I have served. Often needing a special prayer – personal or public – at unexpected moments, I took comfort in knowing that Rene’s collection of prayers from the Church fathers and mothers was always close by. Now he has finished the course, yet he remains among us in a very powerful way; for you see, Rene sowed many seeds throughout his long ministry and those seeds continue to manifest throughout this creation. Blessings and Peace be with you all.

    Richard+

  18. I treasure the friendship I had with Rene and our times of service together at Hinton Rural Life Center and the General Board of Global Ministries. Carrie and I will always remember the breakfast we shared at the Waldorf Astoria.

  19. Becky, I was so sorry to hear of Rene’s passing. Please know that I am thinking of you and your family and praying that you will be given the comfort you need.

  20. Rene will always be close to our hearts as a friend and Spiritual Director of his beloved Emmaus community. We lift up Becky and her family in prayer, and thank God for Rene’s power and presence in our lives.

  21. Rene and I first worked together on several Emmaus Walks. I was blessed to have him as the Spiritual Director when I served as the Lay Director several years ago. His clear and articulate deliveries, humorous and touching moments are the memories that I take with me from our time together. May God wrap His loving arms around at this time, and hold you close, Becky.

  22. May you be comforted by the rich and giving life that Pastor Bideaux shared with so many. I will be praying for your strength daily.

  23. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May God’s healing grace give you comfort.

    From the Board and staff of United Methodist Foundation, Inc., North Carolina Conference.

  24. My wife Mary and I are deeply saddened to learn of Rene’s death. He was a wonderful mentor for both of us, and we will remember him with gratitude for the wisdom that he shared and the model that he offered. May he rest in peace.–Michael G. Cartwright

  25. Dearest Becky,
    You have no idea how this news has hit me and the whole family. It is like losing another father/grandfather. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Peace.

  26. To Rev. Rene’s Family:
    I previously worked at Brooks-Howell Home for 19 years and returned after a 7 year absence in 2007. I have never felt so close and accepted by a man called of God as I did Rev. Rene. He would ask me for updates on residents as we passed in the hallways. He always had a twinkle in his eyes and seemed to know when I was worried or weary. He asked me one day if I needed a special prayer for a resident and smiled when I asked ‘to remember my liver, too!’ (I had been having frequent tests)
    I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death, but know that his eyes are now beholding things that we can not imagine! I’ll bet that he is constantly smiling and the twinkle is still there.
    In sympathy,
    Freda P. Woody, RN, ADON
    Brooks-Howell Home

  27. Becky – I was so sorry to learn of Rene’s death. It has been many years since my days at Orange, but I’ve always treasured those memories. I respected and admired his strong and inspirational spiritual leadership. He will be missed by many.

  28. Dear Becky, Elise and Debbie;
    I do not have the words to express my sadness at the loss of your dear husband and father so soon after Chuck’s passing. May you be comforted by the many people all over the world who are praying for you during this dark time of life. May you feel God’s love and protection wrapped around you all.

    Love,
    Karen


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