Bob Rennie Remembered
A few comments from some of Bob's friends at Rotary
Allow me to add a few thoughts to Bill's and Chas'.
I had the, ahem, pleasure of being club president the year our club inducted
its first three female members. At the time, Bob was retired but working
part time at Export Links, my company. To say Bob was upset with this and
with me personally is an understatement. However, even through this
disagreement, we were always respectful to each other, and of each other,
and after a brief cooling off period following Bob's resignation, Bob
rejoined Rotary with my full support.
In subsequent years, I always took a special delight and couldn't help
smiling when Bob would be sitting at a table and putting in a happy buck
because in his words, "I'm delighted to be sitting with such lovely ladies."
I had the highest respect for Bob. There was never anything phony about
him. What you saw is what you got and his personal integrity was
impeccable. He was a man of his word and his handshake could be trusted.
I always found him to be 100% honest in all of his dealings and as we worked
together we grew to become good friends. The more I got to know him, the
more I realized the curmudgeon persona that he liked to cultivate was
protecting a heart as big as a Mac truck and as soft as a marshmallow.
I will remember him fondly.
Mike Hahn
Bill
Fantastic job, you covered a lot of the great times we had with our friend
Bob.
I can only add Bob and I enjoyed curling with Chris Cones and Ron Gdansky
for many years. Bob was always quick to tell me "That rock needs sweeping
Charles" while he pushed with his brush.
Chas
> Rotary members
>
> I thought a few memories about Bob would be appropriate as I was honored
knowing him and considered him a friend. Bob was a valuable member of our
Club and much of its success in the early years especially were do to him.
I have sent a copy of this to his family. If anyone would like to add your
thoughts about Bob please do so.
>
> Most of my recollections of Bob Rennie are, of course, through Rotary. I
joined Rotary the year that Bob was President ( 78-79). I used to tease him
that I stayed on as a member despite his being President.
>
> I think the first fundraiser of the Club was a donation from the members
for every pound that Bob lost over a period of time. It apparently was a
good success. The year that I was President ( 84-85) I occasionally referred
to Bob as my "devil's advocate" . Whenever a speaker had few questions being
asked of him or her, Bob would say " I have a comment and then a question".
Sometimes these were a bit controversial but made sense and would stimulate
a good discussion. The other event I remember was the presentation of the
Paul Harris Fellowship to Bob. The members were to do a roast for Bob first.
Bob was asked to introduce Jack Bailey, a founding sponsor of our Club, to
speak about Rotary Foundation. The members kept interrupting Bob as he tried
to introduce Jack. Jack then said with such a lousy introduction , he had
nothing to say and does anyone else want to say something ? Several members
carried on with the roast of Bob. One of Dr. Arnold Verster 's comments was
that what Bob said was like the horns of a Texas Longhorn - a point here and
a point over there but with a lot of bull in between. I think after several
members spoke Jessie, Evelyn and Morven came in and Bob was given the well
deserved Paul Harris Fellowship. Bob's comment to me as the roast started
that this was "a bloody set up". Of course the Club would only do this for
someone thay admired and respected.
>
> Bob was a great and enthusiastic member and was very concerned with the
success of the Club and the service we provided. However he did oppose
admitting women tnto the Club and resigned Rotary when three were
introduced. It was awkward for him because he and one of the new members,
Mary Rashleigh, were good friends. Some of us communicated with him after a
short spell. I recall telling him that I admire someone who makes a
statement and follows through on it, but I also admire someone who also can
admit they made a wee mistake and does something to correct it. Bob soon
came back and I think he thoroughly appreciated the contributions that women
have made to Rotary and often said so.
>
> Bob was Sergeant-at-Arms for a few years. Previously members were fined
for something they did whether it was good or not . This was a fundraiser
for our Club. Bob decided to change the format and started asking for Happy
Bucks. This turned out to be a great improvement and the Fellowship achieved
from members donating a loonie or whatever and relating something good or
interesting that the member did or was going to do was an excellent change.
This has carried on to this day. I also recall at one our Christmas parties
for the handicapped children that we did every year for many years, that Bob
came as Santa Claus, which he did for several years. Our son, Tim, who was
maybe 5 or 6 at the time looked at Bob's ill fitting white beard and his
Scottish voice and called him a "fake". We all had a good chuckle about
that. Bob was always willing to do such things.
>
> Bob enjoyed curling and at one the Rotary Bonspiels, when the opposing
skip, a good curler, missed a key shot he asked the third , a past District
Governor, if his skip always missed a critical shot. Bob loved to try to
"stir the pot" on the ice. I also recall Bob playing against Ted Biggs, a
good friend and Rotarian, and has Ted so befuddled that he through the wrong
turn. Bob loved that kind of interaction.
>
> Bob's last contribution to Rotary was with Al Dyson as they found the
speakers for the programs each week. They did an excellent job. This was
after Jessie passed away and was great for the Club and for Bob.
>
> Bob was a wonderful and caring person and took a keen and caring
interest with anyone he met. We all benefitted from knowing Bob and
considered him a good friend. We congratulate Bob on a life well served.
>
> Bill
I had the, ahem, pleasure of being club president the year our club inducted
its first three female members. At the time, Bob was retired but working
part time at Export Links, my company. To say Bob was upset with this and
with me personally is an understatement. However, even through this
disagreement, we were always respectful to each other, and of each other,
and after a brief cooling off period following Bob's resignation, Bob
rejoined Rotary with my full support.
In subsequent years, I always took a special delight and couldn't help
smiling when Bob would be sitting at a table and putting in a happy buck
because in his words, "I'm delighted to be sitting with such lovely ladies."
I had the highest respect for Bob. There was never anything phony about
him. What you saw is what you got and his personal integrity was
impeccable. He was a man of his word and his handshake could be trusted.
I always found him to be 100% honest in all of his dealings and as we worked
together we grew to become good friends. The more I got to know him, the
more I realized the curmudgeon persona that he liked to cultivate was
protecting a heart as big as a Mac truck and as soft as a marshmallow.
I will remember him fondly.
Mike Hahn
Bill
Fantastic job, you covered a lot of the great times we had with our friend
Bob.
I can only add Bob and I enjoyed curling with Chris Cones and Ron Gdansky
for many years. Bob was always quick to tell me "That rock needs sweeping
Charles" while he pushed with his brush.
Chas
> Rotary members
>
> I thought a few memories about Bob would be appropriate as I was honored
knowing him and considered him a friend. Bob was a valuable member of our
Club and much of its success in the early years especially were do to him.
I have sent a copy of this to his family. If anyone would like to add your
thoughts about Bob please do so.
>
> Most of my recollections of Bob Rennie are, of course, through Rotary. I
joined Rotary the year that Bob was President ( 78-79). I used to tease him
that I stayed on as a member despite his being President.
>
> I think the first fundraiser of the Club was a donation from the members
for every pound that Bob lost over a period of time. It apparently was a
good success. The year that I was President ( 84-85) I occasionally referred
to Bob as my "devil's advocate" . Whenever a speaker had few questions being
asked of him or her, Bob would say " I have a comment and then a question".
Sometimes these were a bit controversial but made sense and would stimulate
a good discussion. The other event I remember was the presentation of the
Paul Harris Fellowship to Bob. The members were to do a roast for Bob first.
Bob was asked to introduce Jack Bailey, a founding sponsor of our Club, to
speak about Rotary Foundation. The members kept interrupting Bob as he tried
to introduce Jack. Jack then said with such a lousy introduction , he had
nothing to say and does anyone else want to say something ? Several members
carried on with the roast of Bob. One of Dr. Arnold Verster 's comments was
that what Bob said was like the horns of a Texas Longhorn - a point here and
a point over there but with a lot of bull in between. I think after several
members spoke Jessie, Evelyn and Morven came in and Bob was given the well
deserved Paul Harris Fellowship. Bob's comment to me as the roast started
that this was "a bloody set up". Of course the Club would only do this for
someone thay admired and respected.
>
> Bob was a great and enthusiastic member and was very concerned with the
success of the Club and the service we provided. However he did oppose
admitting women tnto the Club and resigned Rotary when three were
introduced. It was awkward for him because he and one of the new members,
Mary Rashleigh, were good friends. Some of us communicated with him after a
short spell. I recall telling him that I admire someone who makes a
statement and follows through on it, but I also admire someone who also can
admit they made a wee mistake and does something to correct it. Bob soon
came back and I think he thoroughly appreciated the contributions that women
have made to Rotary and often said so.
>
> Bob was Sergeant-at-Arms for a few years. Previously members were fined
for something they did whether it was good or not . This was a fundraiser
for our Club. Bob decided to change the format and started asking for Happy
Bucks. This turned out to be a great improvement and the Fellowship achieved
from members donating a loonie or whatever and relating something good or
interesting that the member did or was going to do was an excellent change.
This has carried on to this day. I also recall at one our Christmas parties
for the handicapped children that we did every year for many years, that Bob
came as Santa Claus, which he did for several years. Our son, Tim, who was
maybe 5 or 6 at the time looked at Bob's ill fitting white beard and his
Scottish voice and called him a "fake". We all had a good chuckle about
that. Bob was always willing to do such things.
>
> Bob enjoyed curling and at one the Rotary Bonspiels, when the opposing
skip, a good curler, missed a key shot he asked the third , a past District
Governor, if his skip always missed a critical shot. Bob loved to try to
"stir the pot" on the ice. I also recall Bob playing against Ted Biggs, a
good friend and Rotarian, and has Ted so befuddled that he through the wrong
turn. Bob loved that kind of interaction.
>
> Bob's last contribution to Rotary was with Al Dyson as they found the
speakers for the programs each week. They did an excellent job. This was
after Jessie passed away and was great for the Club and for Bob.
>
> Bob was a wonderful and caring person and took a keen and caring
interest with anyone he met. We all benefitted from knowing Bob and
considered him a good friend. We congratulate Bob on a life well served.
>
> Bill