Ronald E. Stenning

STENNING, The Reverend Ronald E., a retired Associate Executive Director of Church World Service, and former Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Oakwood, died March 22, 2003. He was 78 years old. Born in Rhode Island, a son of the late John A. and Ethel Stenning, he was a graduate of the Providence public school system, Brown University and the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in Europe. After the war, he graduated from Brown University and joined the Brown & Sharpe Mfg. Co., a Rhode Island based machine tool firm, where he worked in both the Engineering and Industrial Relations Divisions. After several years with that company, he resigned his position as Director of Education to enroll in the Episcopal Theological School. Following ordination and service as Vicar of a mission parish, he was appointed Director of the Department of Christian Social Relations of the Diocese of Rhode Island. In 1963, he was elected Dean of the Cathedral of St. John in Providence. As Dean, he soon became deeply involved in civil rights and issues of social justice in the Rhode Island community. Under his leadership, the Cathedral became a center for planning, lobbying, and designing education programs dealing with the major issues facing the state at that time. Located within one half mile of the state capital, the cathedral became a meeting place for civil rights groups and political figures concerned with fair housing and other legislative matters. In the mid 60's, a Coordinating Council for Racial Justice was created, consisting of 26 statewide groups with Dean Stenning

Funeral Home:
Oakwood Routsong Funeral Home
6 Oakwood Ave.
Dayton, OH
US 45409