Carol Ann Renda

Carol Ann Renda, a longtime resident of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, passed away peacefully at home on January 7, 2026 at age 86. The daughter of Louis and Gertrude (Vroom) Renda, Carol was born on September 5, 1939 in New Milford, CT and raised in Danbury, CT.

Her mother and father served as early influences on what would become her lifetime love of the world of fashion: Gert, a registered nurse of striking beauty and sophisticated style; Lou, a handsome insurance agent in his tailored suit and fedora. Carol loved to ride along with her father on calls to clients in his '59 Chevy Impala convertible, imagining herself as a career woman one day.

Carol's first taste of the world of retail was working part-time at S.S. Kresge Company, a five-and-dime in Danbury, where she was responsible for making copies of keys. The sights and sounds of the sales floor made her feel right at home. By the time she graduated from Danbury High School in 1957, Carol knew that a career in retail was for her.

From there, it was off to Becker Junior College in Worcester, MA where she was elected president of Maple Hall, her Victorian-style girls' residence. After earning her degree in retail merchandising in 1959, she headed straight for Manhattan where she lived at the Webster Apartments, one of the many women's residences dotting the city. It was a popular and safe option for single female transplants seeking to make a life for themselves in the fashion capital.

In short order, Carol entered the executive training program at Lord & Taylor. The venerable department store, led for the previous fifteen years by President Dorothy Shaver (America's First Lady of Retailing), had positioned itself as a high-end fashion retailer, promoting "The American Look". Carol fit right in, establishing herself as a young merchant of exceptional taste.

Before long, Carol became a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman, as it underwent its transformation into a global luxury fashion retailer, led by CEO Ira Neimark. She was eventually promoted to Vice President in 1979, where she travelled the globe in search of new designers to introduce to Bergdorf Goodman's discriminating customers.

After years as a merchant, Carol was recruited by an apparel manufacturer to develop and market their lines. She then returned to Lord & Taylor, where she was responsible for designer sportswear and dresses, up until her retirement in 2004. In addition to buying from the major American design houses, Carol spent those years mentoring many young assistant buyers.

Carol's professional and personal life were characterized by her curiosity and her desire to live life to the fullest. Travel, cuisine, art, music, fashion, all were opportunities for her to discover something new and unique. In her retirement years, she enjoyed weekend getaways, lunch dates with friends, evenings at the ballet, chatting on the phone, and grilling on her beloved terrace overlooking the East River.

Carol is survived by her brother Robert Renda and his wife Patricia Renda, nephew Craig Renda and his wife Dawn Renda, nephew Deane Renda and his wife Jessica Devine, and great-nephew James Renda.