Rey Redington

On March 19th, 2023, Rey Redington peacefully crossed over to the other side of the veil in the loving presence of his wife of 56 years Rebecca and their children Megan and Travis. His 78 years on planet earth were full of friendships, the kind of adventures that stem from an entrepreneurial spirit, and connections grounded in the faith that all people have stories that matter. His humor, kindness, the twinkle in his clear blue eyes and the combination of his moral compass and willingness to learn new things will be remembered and missed by so many.

Rey, formally known as Rowley Wilhelm Philips Redington, the third in a line of Rowleys, was born in New York City in 1944, and spent his youth in Greenwich, CT, graduating from Greenwich High School in 1963 and The University of Connecticut in 1969. He married the love of his life Rebecca Scureman in 1966. In 1975 the family moved from Bethel, CT to Montclair, NJ where they lived for 40 years. In 2014 he and Rebecca moved to the Rossmoor Community in Monroe Twp, NJ.

Rey was an entrepreneur who moved from the confines of corporate life into the wild world of creating his own businesses. He began with a gas station into which, much to the consternation of the gas company, he introduced the unheard-of notion of a convenience store. That was only one of the many times Rey was on the opposite side of "conventional wisdom" and/or the easy road.

It is a trait that endeared him to the many friends, employees, campaign workers, protest marchers, choir singers and clients that loved his spirit and humor. When stricken with Multiple Sclerosis over 45 years ago, he took on that life challenge with the same energy, creativity and just get on with it spirit that guided his life. Rey was always positive, up for lending a hand or an ear, the consummate supportive husband, father, sibling, uncle, grandfather and friend. Wherever Rey went he expanded his circle of friends.

He was an interested man, and his interest was contagious. He managed to get family, friends and strangers to support his bids for town council in Montclair, NJ and the US Congress. While he lost both elections, his community stuck with him as he taught himself all about computers beginning with the first desktops in the 1980s. Even as his mobility decreased, due to his MS, he rescued countless people from computer induced mishaps and disasters ranging from meltdowns and viruses to the neglect to plug the machine in... Employing his own and many friend's children over the years he wired offices and supplied IT guidance to many a small business. His love of building purposeful things and gadgets kept him busy; and as his mobility decreased, kept his family, friends and neighbors busy as they followed his instructions to build and employ the gadgets that made his life more accessible.

He believed strongly in the importance of the Democratic process and the rights of all people to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. He rolled his wheelchair in many a protest - racial justice, women's rights, the right to same sex marriage, voting rights and climate change to name a few. The ins and outs of how local politics affected communities was always important to him and he threw his energy into helping people even when that made him an unwelcome guest at many a town meeting.

Rey was a lifelong reader of the print edition of newspapers and sought out the local one anywhere he went. When he found that his new home, Monroe Township, had no local paper he started his own, launching a career as editor and journalist in his 70s.

In the Rossmoor Community in Monroe Township, NJ Rey and Rebecca joined the Rossmoor Chorus and The Players. Singing had always been a joy for Rey. In their Montclair days Rey, Rebecca and their friends had put on many an extravagant show with original songs, dances and comedic skits to celebrate and roast with good humor and love birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. Joining the Rossmoor Chorus and The Players brought his beautiful voice and humor to their new community to the joy of everyone.

Rey always kept a copy of Rudyard Kipling's poem If, which he saw often on the Principal's Office wall during his school days, framed on the wall by his desk. He believed deeply in its message of perseverance and authenticity. The stanza below says so much about how Rey showed up in the world and shared himself with others.

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master;

If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

... more-you'll be a Man, my son!

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by three grandsons Wilder, Kaegan and Farrow, who knew him as Pops, his siblings Leyla, Molly, Tommy, Nancy and Deb and Rebecca's family including her identical twin sister Harriet, always an integral part of the family and many nieces and nephews.

Rey will be missed by so many friends and extended family.

A celebration of Rey's life will be held on a date to be determined in September 2023.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Rey's name to the Mental Health Association Serving Northern New Jersey. https://www.mhainspire.org/