Henry Adam RENTSCHLER

News Death Notice

RENTSCHLER, Henry Adam Paoli, Pennsylvania, age 84, died on Tuesday, March, 26, 2013, after a long struggle with cancer. Rentschler was born in Hamilton, Ohio on July 27, 1928 to Edith Beckett Rentschler and Walter Anthony Rentschler. He attended preparatory school at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, graduating in 1946. He then attended Princeton University, graduating in the Class of 1950. His father was a member of the class of 1925. At Princeton he was on the lightweight crew team which was undefeated in his freshman year. He was a member of Colonial Club. He was President of the Class of 1950 on the occasion of their Fiftieth Reunion in 2000. While in college he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. After graduation he was employed at the Lima Division of Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation. In 1952, he volunteered for active duty in the U.S. Navy and he was assigned to a ship building company in Bay City, Michigan where he was a supply corps officer. His office supervised ship building and Navy inspection for the construction of Aircraft Rescue Boats. These speedy craft helped save dozens of downed airmen during the Korean War. Rentschler received an Honorable Discharge in 1954 with the rank of Lieutenant. Rentschler returned to Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton at their works in Eddystone, Pennsylvania. He served in a wide variety of administrative and management positions in hydraulic press and power tool departments. In the 1960's he was placed in charge of renewal parts administration. Here renewal, repair, or replacements parts for many of the previously built machine tools and locomotives were inventoried or custom ordered. The renewal parts division became a new company and named Baldwin-Hamilton Corporation and Rentschler was named President. Over the next twenty years its primary business was supplying renewal parts for Baldwin diesel locomotives and other diesel engines. Rentschler subsequently retired. Upon retiring, his sense of history and preservation came into play and he saw to it that drawings and related historical data, including technical drawings, operating manuals, sales books, and so forth were preserved with the major portion being donated to the Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio, the Hagley Museum, Wilmington, Delaware, and Whitewater Valley Railroad, Connersville, Indiana. Henry was an Episcopalian, a member of the historic church, St. Peter's Church in the Great Valley, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The congregation dates back to 1700 and part of the present church building dates back to 1744. Due to increasing growth in membership an additional building was built to increase worship space and add classrooms. Rentschler was active in its planning, design, and major funding. Rentschler was elected to the Board of Supervisors, Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the board of Stratton Mutual Funds, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and on the board of directors of the board of Stratton Mutual Funds, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and on the board of directors of the Society for Industrial Archeology. Henry Rentschler leaves his devoted friend and dear companion of 28 years, Rosmarie Hope of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. He leaves three children Walter Anthony Rentschler, New York, Stephanie Woolley, Taos, New Mexico, and Patricia McConnell, Reno, Nevada, and two grandchildren, Kate and James McConnell. He also leaves his brother, Thomas Beckett Rentschler, Hamilton and sister Elizabeth Rentschler Melnick, Vero Beach and many friends, associates, and relatives. Henry Rentschler will be interred in the family plot in historic Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton, Ohio. There will be a private graveside memorial. Memorials may be given to St. Peter's Church in the Great Valley, 2475 Saint Peter's Road, Malvern PA 19355. Or the Greenwood Cemetery Fund, Hamilton Community Foundation, 319 North Third Street, Hamilton OH 45011. Weigel Funeral Home is serving the family in Ohio. Online condolences are available at www.weigelfuneralhome.com