Rienzi B. 'Ren' Parker

Lexington – Mr. Rienzi B. 'Ren' Parker, Jr., of Lexington, died Sunday, March 10, 2019 at Brookhaven in Lexington. He was 92.

He was born in Boston and grew up on the Cape where his family were longtime residents of Harwichport. He spent his youth fishing and sailing and developed a lifelong love of the sea. He went to high school at the Middlesex School in Concord and after that joined the United States Navy where he served for a year as World War II was winding down.

After his time in the service Ren entered Harvard College where he was awarded his Bachelor's degree and later earned his doctorate in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. He worked for a number of years as a chemical engineer, first at Arthur D. Little in Cambridge and later for DuPont in Buffalo, New York and Abcor in Wilmington.

Ren was a longtime resident of Weston where he belonged to the First Parish Church. There he indulged his passion for music by singing in the church choir and playing the clarinet. He was also long active with the Unitarian Universalist Association. Philanthropic by nature he was generous with his time, talent and treasure wherever he lived and worked.

He was a lifelong learner and a voracious consumer of books --- once enthralled on a subject Ren read and read until he became an amateur expert on the topic. He loved the adventure of discovery.

Having grown up on the 'old Cape' Ren maintained a keen interest in his hometown of Harwichport and the region over the years. He loved to fish, and was pleased to support the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary's conservation science education programs for Harwich public school children. Many of these students likely were the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of his neighborhood friends and classmates. The education programs teach Harwich and Outer Cape children about the unique ecology, habitats, and wildlife of Cape Cod.

Some of the family's best memories were made spending many happy summers at the Cape.

He leaves his wife of sixty-seven years, Mary Field Parker; his children, Susan F. Parker (Edward Hynes) of Waltham, David R. Parker (Pamela Padgett) of Riverside, California and Elizabeth 'Bee' Fortin (William Simpson) of Waltham and seven nieces and nephews.

Ren was also a son of the late Rienzi B., Sr. and Helen (Remington) Parker and brother of the late Collins Parker.

Family and friends will honor and remember Ren's life by gathering for a memorial service at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 17th in the First Parish Church, 349 Boston Post Road, Weston.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be sent to The Rienzi and Mary Parker Endowment Fund, Mass. Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 236 South Wellfleet, MA 02663.