Robert Ellis "Rob" Stengel

1988 - 2022

BROOKLYN - Robert Ellis "Rob" Stengel, of Brooklyn, beloved husband, son, brother, colleague, classmate and friend, died peacefully and surrounded by his loved ones after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Rob was a brilliant man who from a young age garnered recognition from his teachers and peers at Cuba-Rushford Central Schools. He was a talented writer who was passionate about global politics and won multiple student journalism awards for his writing. He continued on to study philosophy and politics at New York University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 2011.

After graduation, he worked as a legal researcher at Corsearch for nine years before enrolling at Brooklyn Law School in 2020. He was an outstanding student who served as a dedicated member of the Law Review and Moot Court Honor Society, and interned for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Judge Lorna Schofield in the Southern District of New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

After graduation, he planned to dedicate his career to public service. He received his Juris Doctorate in 2022, and his formidable intellect was equaled by his genuine humility, kindness and conviction.

Rob was an avid traveler who visited over nine countries across four continents. A multifaceted man, Rob was a mountain climber, animal whisperer, gamer and lover of good music and good food. He met the love of his life, politics and culture writer Ashley Reese, in 2014. They quickly developed a deep connection through their shared interests in indie rock, history, road trips and the best food and drinks New York City had to offer. They married on Oct. 16, 2022, in their Brooklyn backyard, shortly after Rob decided to go into palliative care. Their wedding was subsequently featured in Vogue.

Rob is survived by his wife, Ashley Reese; father, John Stengel; mother, Luana Ellis; sister, Elizabeth Stengel; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

He is predeceased by his grandparents, Herbert and Florence (Coghill) Stengel and John E. and Frances (Delaney) Ellis.

Family and friends will gather at a later date to remember Rob's life.

The family requests donations to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or Rob and Ashley's GoFundMe for medical costs.