I didnt get the pleasure to meet Renee but i knew how much she meant to so many people and still does. I got so lucky to meet her amazing and beautiful daughter Avery and hear so much about her and her moms relationship. I admire the mom Renee chose to be and from the pictures,videos and stories i heard just warmed my heart. She really cared and only wanted the best for her family. It breaks my heart to think about what her family had to go through but makes me proud to see how they are getting through it and i know Renee would be too. I send all my love to the Jossen family always and forever.
I love you Ave.

Living without my mom has become a lot easier over this past almost 2 years. I still think about her constantly and mourn her loss, but I have come to accept the fact that she isn't coming back. She would want me to continue growing, learning, grieving, loving, etc...and I know that for a fact. She has always wanted the best for me and I have always wanted to make her proud, so that is what I am going to do.

My mama Renee was the best mother a girl could ask for. A supportive and loving human being, a shoulder to cry on, a guide, someone who wouldn't judge, someone who would be there no matter what the circumstances may be, an overall fantastic mother who cared so dearly for all the people around her. An angel. I miss my mama. I don't know how to put it into words. I feel such great sadness. I feel numb and am full of regret. Although I may not have treated her this way all the time, She was my best friend and the only person I truly trusted. She means the world to me and that will never change. I cry at night because I miss the presence of my mom, her laugh, her hugs, her scent, her style, etc. I Love you mama <3

Thinking of you, sweet Renee, on your birthday.

Happy 63rd Birthday. My heart is aching and its so hard to understand how you died too young. I will miss your hearty laugh and sweet smile. Love to you.

It's too painful to write this to others, so I will address it to you: Dear Renee, I think we met at Meredith's pool party when our girls were barely 2. Avery & Gilda started at CEE preschool together and were instant BFFs. When we left the school, I said to my husband, "Oh no! What about Gilda & Avery?!" And Andre replied: "They're only 4! They'll make other friends." As in: No biggie. But you and I both knew when Life hands you kismet, you clutch it close.

You & I had a parallel friendship to the girls, sometimes very close & full of sharing. Regardless, thru different schools and many years, the girls figured out how to maintain their special connection. Renee, this is how I see you: With a blooming, edible garden; with the coolest wallpaper; with your own Opie's, passions, & perspectives; uniting in the amazement that our daughters found a Forever Bond in diapers. I feel a deep piece of that bond, too, Renee. And I miss you.

jody

I posted sweet pictures of Renée as a little girl that I remember well. We had many fun-filled cousin hours together…in the backyards of Texas and sun-soaked coasts of California.

I think fondly on all of these times and can recall innumerable connections of humor, intimacy, and love. The pictures on your memorial website show the Renée I still imagine—bright, smiling, engaged, curious. So satisfying to see her happiness in the two settings she loved well— a vibrant family and work life.

I know this is a deeply challenging time for the family…as you may recall, my dad passed on at a similar age and Dina was about the age of Ruby and Avery, so I know there will be wounds to consider and overcome. I send all my love as you begin this journey.

The greatest healing agent for me was living the many beautiful qualities my dad expressed which proved he was always alive for my children and me. She's certainly left a beautiful heritage to continue honoring.

One of my favorite quotes from my faith tradition, “Love alone is Life,” exemplifies Renée’s continuing unfoldment even now. May we all keep up with her.

Much love always...

I feel so blessed to have Renee and Barry as our new “neighbors.” In the short time of knowing Renee I felt like I had met my new best friend. She had this amazing quality of making anyone she met feel comfortable and secure. It doesn’t seem “real” that we won’t be meeting for our walks and wine. She will be forever missed.

I am just hearing about Renee the Remarkable this very moment. She was a rarity. I cannot believe I am saying "was."

We had just gotten back in touch a few years ago, and I was so grateful to hear her voice, and exchange thoughts. We'd been friends, and now mothers. Then it was not possible to meet given the world. I so regret not staying in touch during the pandemic.

Her laugh will echo through me always as it is now, her impeccable taste, her gorgeous way of moving through the world, a home - a life I will hold close as I begin the process of remembering her.

Barry, Ruby, and Avery, I send my strength to you. I know there are no words for such excruciating loss.

I loved Renee more than I can express in words. She was such a special person to me and to the rest of the Cummings family. She was enormously kind hearted, sensitive, warm, and loving. We always looked forward to spending time with her and Barry and Ruby and Avery. And we always had such fun when we were together. She will forever be a part of me. I know that as the pain we are feeling softens over the years, thinking of her will put a smile on my face and a glow in my heart, just as she put a smile on my face and a glow in my heart whenever we were together. I love you, Renee.

Thinking of my sweet Aunt Renee today. Sending love to you Barry and your girls. I still have fond memories of dancing at your wonderful wedding. I also remember her warm, gentle and loving presence in my life when I was young. I am so sorry to hear that Renee passed. May her memory be a blessing to you. ~Arianne

I met Renee over 30 years ago back in her Disney casting days. We became fast friends when she hired me to do many Disney kid searches. We even got to work together casting Dear Diary with Barry and David Frankel . What a blast we had! What I loved about Renee was her her fierce loyalty, independence and adventurous spirit. She was always open to sharing and exploring new things . She had the best taste in everything! Fashion, food, jewelry, furniture and art. How brave that when she left casting she went back to school to become a therapist. She was also so successful and loved in her new career.
I loved her Texas twang her patience and her humor. I know that all of our hearts are broken but we will always be here for Barry, Ruby and Avery.

I will never forget Renee's signature knowing smile & winsome twinkle. In the mid 80's at CBS, I was fortunate to spend 5 days a week by her side for many years, as she was the first Director of Casting that I hired. Along with Christopher Gorman, we formed a trinity that bonded us forever & whenever we saw each other over the years, it felt as if it was yesterday. Her taste, dedication, innate wisdom & calm, integrity & conviction were beyond admirable. Her laugh, infectious. Everything & everyone she gave her energy to was blessed. I clearly remember the lunch when she shared with me how happy she felt loving & moving forward with Barry. As heart-wrenching as the news of her passing was, I drew comfort at the beautiful service that honored her life & belief that she was not saying goodbye, but simply moving onto the next phase of her journey. My thoughts are with Barry, Ruby & Avery - her beautiful family who meant the world to her - and to all her friends who will miss her so dearly.

Utter heartbreak. Renee and I were close friends in the early 80's, before Barry, but then life got in the way, as it tends to do, and we drifted apart. I’ve always missed her sweet presence in my life. Now, sadly, more than ever. I miss her smile, her laughter, that slight hint of her west Texas accent, her warmth, her wisdom and her grace. May her memory be a blessing to all her family and friends. Comfort, healing, love and strength to Ruby, Avery and Barry.

I loved Renee.  To me, she was the Barry-whisperer.  She was this soft-spoken Texan and he was this Hollywood Bronco and she tamed him. She had the patience of a great mom before she was a great mom. The only thing that ever really scared her was the 1993 earthquake that cracked her chimney and the aftershocks that followed.  Everything else she could handle. Especially Barry. He worked so hard in those early days that he was profoundly unreliable but she would just sigh her famous sigh and make a new plan.  We spent the better part of a year together casting Miami Rhapsody and her extraordinary casting instincts secured auditions by dozens of future superstars.  In the end, we let most of them slip through our fingers but she never lost patience with me, either.  She’d just bring in another great actor and hope I came to my senses. I could see her slowly chipping away at Barry’s wildness, too, transforming him into a calmer, more balanced (though always hilarious) version of himself. She, on the other hand, seemed as if she’d been a grown-up all her life. She knew how to set boundaries. She knew how to turn a house into a home. She had a house, which seemed so ambitious in those early days. She had a big whooping laugh that surprised me every single time.  She adored the cinema.  Our last movie together was The Phantom Thread, which she praised for its intelligence and wit and calm and attention to detail, qualities she herself always embodied. She had a personal style that had real flair without ever succumbing to passing fads. She had bangs before and after and then before they were popular again. She had opinions she couldn’t be talked out of.  Nor did she ever try to talk you out of your beliefs.  She had a worldly commitment to tolerance that always seemed surprising in someone who came from such a tiny dot on the map.  Which was a mystery until you met her parents and realized that they were as cosmopolitan and sophisticated as most New Yorkers.  Their biggest gift to her was a sense of curiosity, the courage to leave the ranch and Sonora and even Texas behind, to reinvent herself in LA — with Barry Jossen, of all people, as her partner in life. Her most significant reinvention came a few years ago when she went back to school to study psychology, the work she was probably always meant to do. Who better to listen to your problems and steer you toward solutions than Renee with her inviting blue eyes and encouraging smile and her deep understanding that just getting through a single day unscathed by life can feel like a victory?  Who other than Renee could have thrown Barry and Ruby and Avery over her shoulder and carried them this far?  They’ll have to travel the rest of the way without her now but — because she gave them all her strength and compassion, all her love and laughter — they can.

I knew Renee when she was casting movies for Disney and Touchstone when I worked there.  We got closer when she was casting PHENOMENON which I was the Sr. Exec on.  She made the process so easy because of her great taste and instincts, and her good humor about dealing with the many personalities involved with the film. 

She honestly was one of the nicest, most generous people I've ever worked with.  When I transitioned to being a producer, she was always happy to give counsel on projects I called her for advice about.  I hadn't been in touch in recent years, and I so regret that. My heart goes out to all her family and friends, but she will be in our hearts and memories forever. 

It was probably 30 years ago that I was introduced to Renee at a party at the Naked Angels Theatre in Manhattan. I was moving to LA the following week and I was fairly terrified and wondering if I was making a mistake leaving NY. I really knew no one in the entertainment business and hardly anyone in LA. The moment we met, I knew I had a friend. She was warm, welcoming, and lucky for me also worked in casting at Disney Studios . We became very good friends upon my arrival and I just loved Renee so much. As many have said, she was thoughtful, deep, caring, generous ,and also very fun. A beautiful friend. We shared many things professionally and personally especially casting , exercising and .. definitely shopping. We had a great time working together with you and David on both Miami Rhapsody and Dear Diary .
I remember too when my daughter was born a few weeks early and things were at first uncertain, she was home going through all her books looking for helpful information and praying for the good outcome that followed.  I have missed spending time with her since she left casting and focused on a new career and more time with her family. While we didn’t see each other often- we always loved catching up when we did and it always seemed as if no time had passed. It is very sad to lose her way too early and my thoughts and prayers are with you and the girls. Love to stop by soon and spend some time with all of you.
xo Leslee

I remember the first time I met Renee-- Tom and Barry had been friends for years--but I had not met Renee. We were at Arclight seeing a movie and we ran into Renee and Barry- we went to dinner after the film and never looked back-- many dinners and great times with them at our house and at our Beach house and their new Montecito home. I have never met someone so genuine and fun. I can still hear her laugh. Will miss you terribly--You never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory..

Barry, Ruby and Avery

What a lovely memorial service and tribute to Renee. She was such a kind, thoughtful, and authentic person who always made me feel special and connected, especially at times when I would have felt otherwise. It was wonderful being in the room full of people of all walks of life whom Renee touched in such a special way. I will cherish her memory always.

Renee was a colleague in the counseling world, but also a mentor, as I learned so much from her. I have a habit of jumping when a decision needs to be made. From Renee, I discovered that stepping back, and making space for the right decision to present itself, was a better route. I think that energy of hers, the one that steps back and makes space for the right things to emerge, will be missed by me the most, even as I try to emulate it.

I love Renee. I miss her. I’m so sad. I can’t put words to the feeling of deep loss. I always looked up to her as a fashion and design guru. She was the pinnacle of style to me always-everything she did was elegant and I felt it in the way she decorated, her taste in art, clothes, food everything. She defined good taste. She was such a loving mother to my godsisters, I will miss her deeply at our family gatherings and laughing with her about everything. She always understood and always listened and asked so many questions-she made me feel so welcome, so wanted, and so seen. Watching her with the girls, how dedicated she was-all that she did-she was a comfort in every way. She held so much together. Renee you will always be in my heart. I love you forever.
Jamie goldstein

Barry, you and I have worked together through projects like "Roots" and Open Minds. Although I did not know your beloved Renee personally, I know how much your wife and family meant to you. Also, as someone who recently lost a beloved family member, I know all too well the path of grieving. Please know you have an army of support for you and your girls behind you! It is not an easy journey...but it is one that you can endure and move beyond. Take all that is wonderful and beautiful in Renee, and translate that into all you do! And if you need support along the way, I am here for you.

I am devastated by the passing of one of my dearest friends Renee. We knew each other since 1982 when I met her in the back house of the house on Fuller. I briefly worked for her in casting then.
Our friendship deepened incredibly when I moved back to Chicago in 1990. She became a significant spiritual teacher and we shared much laughter over her exploits in the world of Hollywood.
I visited as often as I could and when I had my daughter Lelia(now 23), born with Cerebral Palsy, Renee was there for me with fierce support and encouragement.
Over the years we shared tears & joys about our children. Though we differed, we had many excellent political discussions. We talked about art, state of the world, spiritual matters. Our talks were long & meaningful and I treasured them.
I was to come to LA next week to spend time with Renee in Montecito learning meditation. The shock at loosing her is unreal. My absolute support & love is with Barry & the girls right now.
Soar high, dearest Renee. I love you with all my heart

I met Renee in the halls of the Arts building at SMU forty two years ago. From that time to this, she has been a brilliant light in my life. Whether near or far, whether we talked every day or every couple of months, she has been a beautiful, generous, loyal, wonderful friend and companion on this life's journey. And I am deeply sad that she will not be physically with me anymore. But I think I speak for all of us who loved her: the joy, love, and strength she gave to us while she was here, will last the rest of our days. All my love and sympathy to you, her beloved Barry and Ruby and Avery. Farewell to my beautiful friend.

My dear Renee, my Rennie Roo, how can I do justice to your magnificent self?
We were roommates in college at SMU in theater. Renee, Donna, Paul and I were the tribe. There are too many memories to mention, but a couple highlights that stand out: Renee taught me to cook. I never had cooked before, and she revealed the secret of butter glorious butter. We ate well in our 2 bedroom apt., complete with fireplace and a view of the courtyard on McKinney in Dallas.
Our class of 10 had a famous week on the ranch in Sonora, supposedly to rehearse our scenes and monologues in preparation for the graduating League Auditions at Juilliard. It was beautiful, we were close, we rehearsed a little, and had a lot of shenanigans.
Then there was the time Paul Mullins and I drove a huge moving truck to Sonora with Renee to load up all of her furniture and belongings to move to Dallas. We made up songs including ‘Dora Gilpiece’ (sung to the tune of the theme from Star Trek), The Caverns of Sonora, and Renee Renee the Prettiest Girl We Know… (she hated that one).
I last saw Renee at our college reunion in LA a few years ago. I never got the time alone with her I craved, since I was one of the people in charge of the weekend and stayed busy. I will always be sad I didn’t get to tell her how much she meant to me and that I loved her. Soar amongst the stars, my beautiful friend ❤️

Dear Barry, Ruby and Avery,

I'll always feel so blessed knowing Renee as a parent at school and a good friend. Her love, caring, support, generosity and wonderful sense of humor are things I still remember about the years I spent knowing Renee at CEE. I'm beyond sadden by her passing. I've thought about Renee these past few days, our conversations on the yard, her beautiful smile and her love for Ruby and Avery. I'm sending my prayers and love to all of you during this sad time.

All My Love
Olan

Barry,

My deepest condolences to you and your daughters.  I have known Renee for so many years. While not in touch recently, it was so wonderful to see both of you a couple of years ago. Renee and I had some fun adventures when we were young. My heart is broken for you. 

Dear Barry and family,
My deepest condolences to you and the girls
Love,Jenifer Jossen

Barry, Ed Johnston here. I’ve been in Texas for 5 months and just got the terrible news. My heart is broken. I’m just gutted. I’m sending so much love and support to you and Ruby and Avery. Little Renée was my soulmate, my sister, my beloved. She was one of the truest, wisest, kindest people I’ve ever known. And one of the most courageous. Our friendship was grounded in our similar backgrounds and imprinting and world views and we both walked the path of the seeker, always ready to explore new roads, particularly spiritual ones, together. Her spiritual insights were always profound, and one day years ago I told her ‘Ya know you’d be an amazing therapist…’ She grinned and said, ‘Well, actually, I’ve been thinking about that… ‘ Well, of course she had!!! That same instinctual insight into human behavior, that ability to observe the depths of one’s soul that made her such a brilliant casting director ….also made her such a gifted therapist. We met in college, at SMU, in the late Seventies. Renee and my cousin Wendy were roommates and I’d hang out with them on rainy Saturday afternoons listening to music like Michael Franks’ ‘Popsicle Toes. There may have been some green smoke floating about…after all, it was the Seventies!  Years passed and Renee evolved from actress to casting director in LA while I evolved from petroleum landman to casting director in Dallas. Somehow we both ended up at Disney/Touchstone Studios as Casting Execs, staring work on the exact same day. We Re connected, became fast friends, allies against the machine, and soon were joined at the hip. We shared a lotta laughs, and tears, as good fiends do. Renee was one of the first people I came out to, and she lifted me up with her unconditional love and support. I remember when she first said to me, ‘So you know that friend Barry I’ve told you about? Um, well, he might be more than just a friend….’ She said this with a Cheshire Cat grin on her face! I remember your beautiful wedding at the Bel-Air. Renee’s SMU gaggle gathered at my place and we all attended the wedding together, singing the ‘Renée’ song from college. Donna Bullock, Wendy Welch, Paul Mullens, and I insisted on singing it to her just before the wedding. “Renée, Renée, the prettiest girl we know, Renée, Renée, she wears the nicest clothes, Renée, Renée, she has a nice A-part-ment, Renée, Renée, Renée!” She quietly glared at us. She hated that song. But on her wedding day, I think she mighta liked it. Because she was the prettiest girl in the world that day, just like the song said. You made her laugh, Barry. So much. She loved that about you. So did I! And just look at the two beautiful daughters y’all molded and raised. Renee is smiling with such love for her family. And for her friends. Can you feel her love? I do. Last night I was trying to meditate through my tears, visualizing my dear Little Renee. Suddenly in the middle of my meditation there was a bright splash of light that was the color of the early morning sky: light blue. It lingered. I’d never experienced this in my 15 years as a meditator. I thought, or mumbled, ‘Little Renee’, and received this huge burst of joy. I felt Renee. My soul recognized her. She was star tripping, soaring, light as a feather, amorphous, happy, happy, happy. At least I feel that is so. What a gift. She was such an evolved soul, I don’t know why she was taken from us so early, it sucks. Maybe her evolved soul had done its work this time around and that beautiful spirit of hers was needed to help others evolve like she had. Beautiful thought. And it still sucks. Her loss is palpable, visceral, for all of us who loved her. I send you and Ruby and Avery (and Susan) the biggest of Texas bear hugs. I’m lifting you up with my love and support. I wish I could hop on a red eye tonight in order to attend the memorial tomorrow but an ailing parent keeps me in Texas for another 3-4 weeks. Please know I’m there with you and if I can help in any way, please reach out. I’m just so…damn…sorry, Barry. I loved and adored my Little Renee so much. Love to you and the kids. Xoxo

I feel much sorrow to know that I will not see Renee again. We met at Southern California Counseling Center and found ourselves in the same supervision group at one time. Both the same age, we were among the older crowd learning to be therapists. I always loved my talks in the counselor's lounge with Renee. Truly a person who lighted up a room with her kindness and honesty. My heart goes out to all her family and close friends at her sudden loss. And just learning today of the memorial, I am so regretful that I cannot attend. I will look into the Santa Barbara center that she cared about...yet more I wish I could talk with Renee about...

Josh Goldstein said it all. My family, CJ, Mike , Jason and David loved her very much. This will be a void in our hearts forever.
Love and strength to Barry, Ruby &Avery

Renee & I were friends for 37 years--we met through casting in the mid 80's & bonded immediatly.
We took many trips together in our "single girl days" & had more laughs & fun then I can begin to describe..
The trip I will never, ever forget was our bicycle trip with a group, through Provence, France. We were recently talking about it & how we have to do it again-- just not on bikes!!
On that trip, I knew she was going to marry Barry-- she declared him her "boyfriend," after a biking accident & asked me to call him.
We truly loved one another & were each other's confidantes--she was a TRUE friend in every sense. I miss her when I don't see her for a week, so this is unimaginable..

I love you 'Rose'...(long story) we will always have Paris.. :)

I was a fan of her work in casting on The Apostle.  Her respect for quality acting was evident, and she helped us see great actors in a new light. RIP.

I was not lucky enough to know Renee personally but do know her husband Barry. The way he spoke of her as a partner and as a mother let me know how loved and valued she was; I hope to be as lucky in the way people reflect me to the world at large. My prayers are with Barry and the kids at this time of sorrow and separation. Much love, Shannon

I've known Renee in passing for years but really got to know her well these past 3 years. What a wonderful, thoughtful, sensitive truly generous soul she was. . always a smile and a kind word for everyone and her laugh was pure joy. I feel so honored that she graced my life and will miss her in more ways than I can count. She was a steadfast and loving mother and adored Barry and her girls. . . such a bright, warm light. We will all feel her tremendous loss.

Once, following the instructions of a dharma talk in LA, Renee and I stared into each other’s eyes for three solid minutes. I’ll never forget that experience of giving and receiving, of gazing at my lovely friend, seeing so clearly her beauty, her depth, her light.

That gaze comes to mind when I think of Renee now. No matter how long we separated and went about our lives, we always dropped back into our quiet, deep connection that we shared over many years.

We have been on a journey, solo, individual journeys that we began together during a daylong talk in Santa Barbara by Alan Wallace titled “Genuine Happiness.” The talk had a profound impact on us that we discussed at length—excitement for the merging of science and Buddhism, the intellectual, philosophical rigor. Although Renee had been practicing meditation previously, I know that something broke open for her that day that then sent us to many more talks and retreats, on a path toward understanding the nature of reality and consciousness, toward freedom from the darkness that gets the best of us, from human suffering.

I don’t know where on that Buddhist path she was this past year—she was on so many meaningful life paths!--but I do know Renee understood impermanence—we’re experiencing the ultimate sense of that now. So many of us know Renee's fearlessness, her strength, her generosity—the joy of her laugh. We’ve benefited from her loving-kindness and compassion. To the extent possible from our limited perspective, I know Renee believed in the continuation of consciousness. I know she had a visceral sense of what truly matters in life, in this life and beyond. And I can only hope and pray she knows how much she has mattered to me, and to each of us who knew her.

I, for one, will forever continue to gaze—and to marvel--at my beloved friend Renee.

May we all continue to learn from her…

I feel very grateful to have known Renee. After a recent dinner with her, I came home feeling such a lovely warmth from being around someone with so much compassion, kindness and humor. I admired her fierce and deep love for Ruby, Avery and Barry. 

Renee always had a strong desire to learn and to grow. I believe that this journey of development is continuing right now, wherever she is.

Renee was warm, caring, smart, generous and kind. She was a true friend to me and my family, a loving wife and partner to my dear friend Barry and a very devoted Mom to Ruby and Avery. Renee could be tenacious when she had to be, but was almost always patient, gentle and supportive to those around her. She was talented at so many things. She transitioned from casting director, to full-time Mom, to therapist and I always admired her ability to handle any situation. She was a brilliant interior designer and had a great eye for art. She loved to entertain friends and family with Barry, was a terrific cook and could also make a mean cocktail. Renee was well-read, spiritual and a great daughter to her Mom, Doris, and Dad, Norm. She was also very dedicated to her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Mallory, her sister, Michelle and brother-in-law, Steve. She loved her many nieces and nephews too, and was happy her family was growing.  Renee loved her Texas roots, and took real pride in being from her family's ranch in Sonora. Over the years we did so many things together - holidays, birthdays, family vacations, and she was a big part of our extended family. I will always miss her great sense of humor, her infectious laugh and sharing ideas and stories with her. She was a staunch Republican (Okay, Renee wasn't perfect) but I will even miss arguing about politics with her. She loved me and my family and we all loved her. She will forever be missed by us. - Josh G.  

Renee was an extraordinary person whose gifts landed smack-center on whatever goal she targeted. We all admired how she pivoted from casting, where she enjoyed a distinguished career, to psychology, where she ministered to many families and people in need. She was a stalwart friend with deep reserves of wisdom, patience and kindness. Those same qualities, and so much more, were gifts to her beloved family. My heart is with Barry, Avery, and Ruby, and everyone who loved Renee, her handcrafted tribe of friends included. An incalculable loss.