Irena “Rena” Hull, daughter of pioneer Greenbelters Otto and Evelyn Voigt, died in the hospital on April 23 at the age of 78. Her death was not from COVID-19 but from complications related to a fall and to a previous surgical procedure that left her weakened. She resided in Greenbelt her entire life. After completing Greenbelt Center School and Greenbelt Junior High, Rena graduated from High Point High School in 1960. She was later on the reunion committee. She completed training as a nurse at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., and graduated from the University of Maryland in 1977, where she subsequently taught for several years in the School of Nursing. She also worked at Children’s National Hospital in D.C. and in the Montgomery and Prince George’s County school systems. Volunteer Service Greenbelters will remember Rena for her work as a volunteer. She was involved in all of her children’s activities, including the Co-op Nursery School, Girl Scouts (leader), Greenbelt Swim Team (clerk of course), culminating with her organizing and leading Grad-Night non-alcohol alternative parties at the Aquatic & Fitness Center when each daughter completed high school. Rena was named Greenbelt’s Outstanding Citizen in 1999. She served with the Greenbelt Labor Day Committee and after being vice-president three times moved up to serve a one-year term as elected president. She completed CERT training with the city Police Department and was a member of the County Medical Reserve Corps which was activated for Hurricane Katrina. She spent three weeks as part of the New Orleans recovery process.
The past few years, Rena and her husband Larry participated in Cookies-on-the-Bridge at Gladys Spellman Overpass near Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Rena’s service to her church was also lifelong. She was a member of the choir almost from the time she could stand up and sing. After her own experiences as a youth at Greenbelt Community Church, she went on to teach Sunday school and lead a youth group. She was a member of all of the boards at different times and served a three-year term as moderator. Travel One of her great passions was travel and she took many road trips with Larry. She never used a GPS or phone directions, preferring instead her trusty maps and road atlas. She had been to all 50 states as well as traveled around the globe to Germany and China. In spring 2019 Rena went along on a RV trip to Alaska with Larry, her brother Ken and his wife Gail. She came home by way of San Francisco in order to see her niece, Jenna, and meet a new grandnephew, Simon. She traveled again in October with her husband, daughter Kateri and granddaughter Adelaide to a Chinook Camper Rally in Chincoteague. Author Rick Ransom notes: Church is where I met and most often encountered Rena. I can clearly picture the large wooden cross she wore around her neck in her later years. Her calming and welcoming spirit was well-suited to that environment. Barbara and I frequently encountered Rena and Larry on their daily walk around town, even as their pace slowed. She often wore special shoes in which you could see actual springs between the bottom of the shoe and the outer sole. Rena was bright, involved and knowledgeable in current affairs as well as in church and city history. She carried herself with the cheerfulness she inherited from her mother. As her friend Kathy Reynolds noted, she always had “that beautiful smile and quiet hello.” It would be hard to find a more dedicated couple than Rena and Larry and a stronger and more loving mother and friend than Rena.
Rena is survived by her husband of 43 years, Larry, whom she met through a singles group at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Lanham, and by her brothers Larry (Marsha), Kenny (Gail) and John (Melissa). She also leaves three children: Rena Shylanski (Steve) of Odenton, Lynn Hull (Joshua Seager) of Gambrills and Kateri Baker (Matt). Kateri lives next door to the Hull home on Lakeside Drive. Rena will be missed by her grandchildren Katelyn, Matthew, Hannah, Levi, Adelaide, Gena and Evelyn, and her many nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements are on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations are welcome in her name to the local Meals on Wheels serving Greenbelt, 9601 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740.