Robert 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 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 (grandchildren Ghislaine
and Maghnus Fokine-Mareneck); son Rob (grandchild Saoirse); daughter Ellen
Catharine and daughter-in-law Carolyn 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, 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 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!

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