It is with a deep sense of loss that I must inform clients, former co-workers, and the general public of the passing on September 5, 2012, of my long-time colleague and good friend, Ms. Delpha Renard. She died peacefully after a protracted battle with lung cancer. Delpha fought valiantly for about 18 months after the initial diagnosis, and toughed her way through multiple rounds of radiation treatment and chemotherapy, doctor visits too numerous to count, needle biopsies, CT scans, and the debilitating symptoms associated with advanced lung cancer.

I will greatly miss my old friend Delpha, but I do take comfort from knowing that her pain and suffering are at an end, and that she is at peace now. I would like to thank the wonderful staff at Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Cottonwood Canyon Healthcare Center for taking great care of Delpha during her final days. It’s never easy to watch a good friend decline before your eyes and pass away, but the doctors and nurses at these medical centers made sure that Delpha had the necessary comfort care.

For those of you who didn’t know Ms. Delpha Renard, she was a “character,” to say the least. A bit eccentric (by her own admission), Delpha was by turns witty, smart, funny, tough as nails on the outside, and a great big sentimental softie on the inside. She was also extremely knowledgeable in many areas and had accumulated an amazing amount of experience over her long and eventful life, experience that she generously and happily shared with those clients who had the privilege of working with her over the years.

Delpha was certainly no stranger to struggle, loss, and tragedy, but through it all she remained tough, sassy, independent, unbowed, and – just plain prickly. 🙂 Just ask any of the debt collectors she dealt with during her stint as a professional debt negotiator, or the many clients for whom she provided that much-needed “tough love” to get them going on resolving their debt problems.

Time and again, I would direct anxious clients to Delpha for assistance, and by the end of the conversation, they would always be laughing and joking like old friends. She had that knack, that intangible “something” that people instantly recognized. She was a genuine human being with a heart of gold, and she really cared about the people she was trying to help.

Delpha also loved animals with a deep passion, and one of her main concerns during her illness was to ensure proper care for her two dogs, cat, and four birds. Thankfully, all of her beloved pets were quickly placed with good loving homes, and they are all doing fine now. Near the end, once it became clear that she was no longer in a position to care for them herself anymore, I’m sure that Delpha took great comfort from knowing her pets would still be fine.

Delpha is survived by two brothers, as well as her siblings’ several children. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to express condolences please consider contributing an equivalent value to the non-profit organization headed by the wonderful loving neighbor who provided daily assistance, comfort, and care to Delpha during her final months. Donations will be gratefully accepted at the following address:

Birth Parent Association
529 Hart Drive, Unit #7
El Cajon, CA 92021

Thank you, Delpha, for being such a loyal friend all these years. May you now have the peace and rest that you deserve.