Robert "Bob" Harold Mareneck

Robert Harold Mareneck, age 100, passed away peacefully at his daughter Susan's home in Leverett, Massachusetts on July 1, 2024 with family at his side. Robert (Bob) was born in Lombard, Illinois on April 23, 1924, the fifth child of Latvian immigrants Bertha Bander and William Edward Mareneck (né Murnieks). Growing up during the Great Depression informed his choices throughout his life. Following his high school sweetheart Catharine "Katie" Rau to New England, Bob managed to secure a full scholarship to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in 1942. He entered Naval officer training and finished his degree in two years in 1944 in order to ship out on the U. S. S. Lake Champlain aircraft carrier during World War II. On May 26, 2024, he attended his 80th Brown reunion completing the circle.

Before deploying in 1944, Bob married Katie in Washington DC. They started a family that would include five children: Susan, Peter, Michael, Robert Jr. and Ellen. A man of many talents, Bob pursued various avenues in business, particularly the design, manufacture and sales of home furnishings inspired by his father-in-law Roscoe R. (Esther) Rau, a founder of the National Retail Furniture Association. This took him and his family to various locations around the Midwest including the Chicago suburbs, several Wisconsin cities and Muncie, Indiana, returning to Lake Forest, Illinois in 1966.

Bob lost his beloved Katie in 1973 with his two youngest still at home. In 1975 his daughter Ellen realized his dream that one of his children would attend his alma mater. In 1977 he married Ruby Schneider and began a 41-year odyssey as "Papa Bob" to her family. Together they served 8 years as country directors for the International Executive Service Corp in Kingston, Jamaica. They returned to a house custom built for them by his oldest son Peter, in Lewisburg, West Virginia, where Bob lived until 2019 when he moved to Applewood, Amherst, Massachusetts after Ruby's unexpected death in 2018.

Bob is survived by daughter Susan (grandchild Alpha (Jack) DeLap and great grandchildren Declan and Nicolas; grandchild Edward (Emily Martyn) Hourigan and great grandchildren Eliza and Rosie); son Michael (Tynna Schroeder) (grandchildren Ghislaine and Maghnus Fokine-Mareneck); son Rob (grandchild Saoirse); daughter Ellen Catharine and daughter-in-law Carolyn "Carli" Davis (Peter) Mareneck (grandchildren Zarina and Ryven).

He is also survived by Ruby's children Mark (Trish) Schneider (grandchild Lacy (Alan) Henry and great grandchildren Charlotte and George; grandchild Blake Schneider and great grandchild Kaden) and Donna (Bruce) Elliott (grandchild Emily (Chris) Trenn and great grandchildren Magnus and Vanessa and grandchild Matthew (Alexis) Spence).

He was preceded in death by his wives Catharine Rau and Ruby Schneider and his son Peter (Carli), as well as his brothers Arnold (Mary) and William (Marion) Mareneck and his sisters Alfreda (Herb) Allemang and Evelyn (Armand) Carnes.

Always creative, Bob became a prolific watercolorist upon retiring, joining the West Virginia Watercolor Society and documenting popular local scenes in Greenbrier County including The Greenbrier's legendary golf courses.

Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg became a focus of Bob and Ruby's life - he singing in the choir, she directing the Americana thrift shop.

Having been gifted a fine education, Bob never missed a graduation of his children or grandchildren, travelling far and wide to fulfill that commitment. With his longevity, Bob became a thread of continuity for extended family around the country from Southern California to New England.

Bob's stay at Applewood, despite the pandemic, extended his circle of friends and acquaintances and fulfilled a life-long dream of returning to live in New England. His final years in the loving embrace of family and long-time friends as well as staff and caregivers at Charlene Manor Extended Care in Greenfield, Massachusetts evidenced his ability to inspire respect and friendship even as his physical abilities waned. The family wants to thank all the people there who made his life so full of tender care, especially Silvia, Haley, JoJean, Chad, Emily, Angel, Aria, Annabelle, Dana, Tashi, Susan, Michael, Jay, Hereaude, Lisa and others.

We will miss you dear Dad. There will never be another Latvian-Baptist, American-Presbyterian, dreamer, charmer, risk-taker, handy-man, kitchen-table philosopher, irreverent golfer, talented artist, devoted Chicago Cubs and Bears fan, popcorn-maker & chicken-roaster extraordinaire, loving great grandparent quite like you!

In lieu of flowers, Robert's family asks that donations be made to the Veterans Scholarship at Brown University. Online donations can be made in his name at this link: <https://go.brown.edu/VeteransScholarship> or by sending a check with his name and "Veterans Scholarship at Brown University" in the memo line and payable to Brown University to: Brown University, Gift Cashier, Box 1877, Providence, RI 02912.