Robert D. Renn

Robert Daniel Renn of East Orleans, MA passed away peacefully in the presence of his loving wife Nancy on July 27, 2022. The eldest child of Reinhardt W. and Alma Renn, Robert was born on September 11, 1945 in New Britain, CT. He was raised with his three sisters, Elaine, Eleanor, and Olivette in Kensington, CT, and he graduated from Berlin High School in 1963. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and graduated With Distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1967. He then enrolled at Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, where he received a Master of Science in Industrial Administration in 1968.

Bob then began a thirty-three year career in the aerospace and defense industry. In 1968, he started as a Planning Engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat. In New London, CT, he met and fell in love with Nancy DelVecho; they married in 1971. Bob and Nancy Renn then lived in Quincy, MA, where Bob worked at General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding division, and Nancy taught elementary school. They started a family together, and in 1981, Bob, Nancy, and their two children moved to Connecticut, and Bob returned to Electric Boat as Controller. In 1988, Bob became Vice President (VP) & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at the General Dynamics Pomona division in California, and in 1990 went to Fort Worth, TX with the company. While in Fort Worth, he was instrumental in the sale of that division to Lockheed Martin Corporation, and served as Financial VP of the F-22 Program at Lockheed Martin. He went on to be the VP and CFO at Lockheed Martin Aircraft & Logistics Center in Greenville, SC in 1997, retiring in 2001.

After his retirement, Bob served for eight years on the United Way campaign cabinet and was a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Greenville. As interim Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity, he organized a “Blitz Build” of eight new single-family homes. He also launched the “Home In A Box” program, and in response to Hurricane Katrina, Habitat framed six homes in Greenville, which were then transported to Mississippi, and finished there by a team of volunteers.

When Nancy retired in 2009, they moved from Greenville, SC to East Orleans, MA, and divided their time between Cape Cod and Kiawah Island, where Bob loved to play golf. Bob enjoyed spending time in both places with family and friends. He also loved reading, gardening, taking photographs, visiting National Parks, and traveling the world, including trips to Italy, China, Greece, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and Peru.

Bob’s passion for Habitat for Humanity continued when he moved to Cape Cod. He led three fundraising efforts to construct homes in Orleans, Harwich, and Brewster, and he and Nancy sponsored a Habitat home in Orleans, which was dedicated in 2021. He was an active participant in Orleans town politics and served on the Orleans Revenue Committee in 2016, and on the Finance Committee from 2017 to 2021.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Nancy Renn; their daughter Melissa and her husband Rob; their son Mark and his wife Stephanie; and their four grandchildren.

A service to celebrate the life of Robert D. Renn will be held on Friday, August 5th at 11 a.m. at Brewster Baptist Church, 1848 Main Street, Brewster, MA, 02631. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, 411 Main Street, Suite 6, Yarmouthport, MA 02675 or www.habitatcapecod.org