Robert H. Stengel

Robert H. Stengel, age 79, a long time Concord resident, passed away Tuesday, December 18, 2007, at Concord Health Care Center. He was the husband of Eleanor (Browne) Stengel.

Born in Boston on May 1, 1928, he was the son of the late Peter and Mildred (Dodge) Stengel. Raised and educated in Belmont, Mr. Stengel graduated from Belmont High School in 1945 and later graduated from Bowdoin College in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Psychology.

Mr. Stengel was a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard and served his country during both World War II and the Korean Conflict.

Upon completion of his military service, Mr. Stengel lived in Cambridge with his wife for 5 years before moving to Concord in 1956, where he resided for 51 years.

Mr. Stengel had a long and very active career in the food industry. His initial involvement in the industry began at his father's Boston-based food brokerage business -- Stengel & Company. In 1958 Mr. Stengel left the business and joined Durkee Famous Foods, where he soon became the New England region's top producing salesman. Mr. Stengel eventually assumed responsibility for managing Durkee's Northeast Regional Sales Division. In 1970 he decided to focus solely on the confectionary sector of the industry. He became Vice President/General Manager of Squirrel Brand Company in Cambridge (a candy manufacturer and nut processor). During his career he worked with many of the region's major food processors and helped with the development of new food products and production methods. He served as the president of 3 related candy manufacturing organizations and belonged to both the Cambridge Rotary Club and Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

Outside of work Mr. Stengel was a long time member of the Trinitarian Congregational Church in Concord and a primary contributor to the annual Easter breakfast for many years. He was also a lifetime member of the Cambridge YMCA, where he developed a passion for fitness and became an extremely avid runner. In addition to local running events such as the Mt. Washington Road Race, Mr. Stengel successfully competed in both the 1962 and 1963 Boston Marathons. He took great pride in his home and was renowned for the many tireless weekend hours he spent on both home improvement and home care projects.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his children, Brad Stengel of Stoughton, Martha Ryan of Concord, and Rob Stengel of Berkeley, CA. He was the brother of Anita Clos of North Carolina and the late Peter Stengel of Maine. He is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Tyler, Christopher, and Kendall Ryan, all of Concord, four nieces, and one nephew.