The orders have arrived.  3 remotes and 2 charging bases.  The most beat-up remote was taken apart to inspect.  While reuse of all the existing electronics would maximize recycled content, the effort to re-design will be a lot less than effort to re-engineer the internals.

The waveshare 2.0 inch TFT screen is a perfect size for replacement.  Need to find a way to remove from the carrier PCB without damage.

The existing remote looks to have used EL tape for the keypad back lights.  This looks like a good opportunity for reverse mount LEDs.

ESP32 will be used for replacement processor with a MSP430 dedicated for keypad matrix scanning.  Time to start on a PCB to test button, LED, and screen fitment in the case.