Obituary: Robert K. Stenard
Robert Kennedy Stenard, 89, of Shelter Island and Garden City, died on February 13, 2012 in Huntington, New York.
Born on November 17, 1922 in Brooklyn, Bob was a resident of Shelter Island for more than 30 years and concurrently a resident of Garden City.
Bob passionately enjoyed life and will be forever loved and long remembered for his smile, his readiness to help and his wide range of interests and expertise. He was a world traveler; he loved photography, boating, woodworking and gourmet cooking. He pursued his many interests with pleasure and was delighted to share them with his friends and family.
Bob was a veteran of World War II, having served with distinction in the 345th Squadron, 98th Bomb Group of the U.S. Army Air Force, as an armorer gunner aboard B-24 Liberator aircraft. He flew more than 50 missions, logging more than 1,000 combat hours, and received seven medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and the Purple Heart.
Bob received his bachelor of civil engineering degree in 1952 from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, his license to practice professional engineering in 1956 and an M.B.A. in 1961 from The City College of New York.
Among Bob’s accomplishments, he was former president of Chicago Heater Company; owner of Whitney Antiques; holder of a captain’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard; collector of 18th-century American furniture, Sandwich glass, 17th- and 18th-century clocks, books, maps and silver. He was a member of a wide range of service groups such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, the Professional Antique Dealers Association and the U.S. Power Squadron.
Bob was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Ethel Stenard; his brothers, Joseph and Seaton Stenard, and sister, Lorraine Armstrong; and by his first wife, Helen Stenard.
Survivors include his wife Mary Ann Stenard and the children of his first wife: daughter Jean Stenard of New York City and son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Lora Stenard, and their daughters Sara and Emily Stenard, of Ross, California. He is also survived by stepdaughter Lauren San Miguel, her husband Mark Langley and their children Michael, Jack and Anna Langley of Garden City; stepdaughter Susan Joslyn, her husband Lenny Joslyn and their son Greg Joslyn; and stepson Peter San Miguel and his wife Dawn San Miguel; his nephew Peter Vernam and niece Charlene Holbrook and their family members.
A private burial ceremony was held on February 17 with interment in the family plot in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on Saturday, March 3 at 12 noon at the Garden City Community Church. Reverend James W. Adelmann will officiate.
Donations may be made in Bob’s memory to the Nature Conservancy, Mashomack Preserve, P.O. Box 850, Shelter Island, New York 11964 or the Natural Resources Defense Council, 40 West 20th Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10011.
