Ellen Dick Rennick

January 31, 1934 - January 17, 2021

Ellen Frances Rennick (nee Dick) passed away in January 2021 after a number of years dealing with Alzheimer's. She is survived by her son Chris '74 and her grandchildren Sean and David.

Ellen was born at home in Pasadena in 1934 and her family moved to South Pasadena around 1946. She attended the joint South Pasadena/San Marino High School making many lifelong friends. From there Ellen graduated from Occidental College. Ellen taught in the LA City Schools for over 40 years and pioneered early education in the head start programs in the 1960s, learning Spanish and building deep community relations. She treasured the many letters from former students in whose lives she made a difference. 

Ellen loved just about everything nautical. And she loved her Lido 14. We enjoyed exploring LA Harbor and occasionally going out past the breakwater and feeling the glorious spray as we crashed through a whitecap before heading home again. Ellen even joined the Pasadena Power Squadron eventually becoming its president. Ellen encompassed the silly to the sublime, from enjoying a good laugh playing bunko with friends to finding a deep peace in transcendental meditation. She moved many and will be sorely missed.

I was lucky to be able to bring mom up to Seattle 10 years ago, where we could read together, watch movies, take walks to see the fireworks over the space needle, or even to just visit the chickens living in the coop up the street. She had a wonderful sense of humor and could make everyone laugh. Also, the children from the daycare downstairs would come up and visit and Ellen would be in her element.

Love ya mom, make the angels giggle.

Christopher Rennick '74, son