Wayland Walden Rennie

1928 - 2026

Wayland Walden Rennie

November 9, 1928 - January 25, 2026

Wayland Walden Rennie, age 97, passed away peacefully in his sleep at Westminster Canterbury on January 25, 2026.

He is survived by his son, Wayland Taylor Rennie of Richmond, Va.; his daughter, Laurie Rennie Bratton, and son-in-law, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joseph Bratton of Melbourne Beach, Fla.; his grandchildren, Allison Lucius Pollard and Forrest Key Bratton; and his great-grandchild, Penny Pollard. He is also survived by his twin brother, Dr. Laurie Earl Rennie, as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

He was predeceased by his high school sweetheart and beloved wife, Margaret Taylor Rennie; his parents, C. Bruce and Ruth A. Rennie; his brothers, C. Bruce Rennie, Jr., and Richard Christian Rennie; and his sister, Hallie Rennie Martin.

Wayland was born in 1928 at home in Varina, Va. He and his twin attended Varina Elementary School, Ginter Park Elementary School, Chandler Junior High School, and Thomas Jefferson High School. While at Thomas Jefferson High School, he served as captain of the cadet corps band in 1948. He later attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. During his time there, he was a member of the Highty-Tighty Cadet Band, served as battalion adjutant for the Corps of Cadets, captained the swim team-holding both AAU and state records-and received numerous academic awards and scholarships.

In June 1950, shortly after graduating and marrying Margaret, Wayland was called to active duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was assigned to the 91st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, where he attained the rank of Captain. After leaving the Army in 1952, he entered a doctoral program at the University of Wisconsin, earning his Ph.D. in Agronomy in 1955.

He was subsequently employed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours for seven years, living first in Wilmington, Del., and later in St. Louis, Mo. The family then returned to Richmond, Va., where Wayland began a career in real estate and settled on the same block in Ginter Park where he had lived as a child in 1939.

Wayland was deeply involved in civic life. He served nine years on the Richmond City Council, was Chairman of the Richmond chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, President of the Richmond First Club, and served on the boards of the YMCA and the Historic Richmond Foundation. He was instrumental in the formation of Home Opportunities Made Equal and the Ginter Park Residents Association. In 2005, he co-authored Lewis Ginter's Richmond with David Ryan, a book celebrating his beloved neighborhood.

When time allowed, Wayland enjoyed wood carving, gardening, and folk dancing.

He was a devoted member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church since 1939, serving in many capacities, including Senior Warden and member of the Endowment Fund. His lifelong love of music kept him singing bass in the choir until recently.

Sailing was Wayland's lifelong passion. It began on Lake Mendota in Wisconsin and continued at Fishing Bay Yacht Club, where he served as Commodore in the 1980s. He once calculated that he had raced in more than 1,100 races, mostly as skipper of his beloved boat, Trilogy, his "second love." He and Margaret sailed extensively throughout the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, journeyed north to Goose Bay, Labrador, and northwest to Juneau, Alaska. He was forever grateful for the support of his family and especially his faithful crew aboard Trilogy, the sloop they sailed with pride for more than 50 years.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 13th, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 3602 Hawthorne Ave., Richmond, VA 23222, with a reception and gathering in the fellowship hall following the ceremony. The family will then go to Varina Episcopal Church, 2385 Mill Rd., Richmond, VA 23231, to inurn his ashes - friends are welcome to attend.