Obituary of Warren L. Serenbetz

Warren Serenbetz, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully early on the morning of April 4 at Greenwich Hospital, surrounded by his family. His warmth, generosity, and devotion has been, and continues to be, an inspiration to them all. Warren was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 27, 1924. Twenty years later, he graduated from the Navy Officers Training Program at Columbia University with a B.S. in engineering and the rank of ensign. During World War II, he served as a gunnery and recognition officer aboard the USS Weiss in the north and south Atlantic. In 1948, Warren married Thelma Randby, whose love, friendship, and support sustained him over the next seven decades of his life. Warren received his M.S. in engineering from Columbia in 1949. Shortly thereafter, he began work for the Railway Express Agency. While there, he recognized the need for cargo containers, and that vision led him to become one of the pioneers of the intermodal container industry. In 1968, he founded Interpool, one of the world's leading container leasing companies, whose operations he oversaw until his retirement in 2004. Warren was a member of the Union League Club in Manhattan, The Apawamis Club in Rye, New York, and the Larchmont Yacht Club. He served as a member of the board of sessions at the Larchmont Avenue Church where he ushered regularly up until his death. In December of 1997, Warren and Thelma established the Serenbetz Family Foundation, a charitable organization whose core mission is to provide educational opportunities for deserving children and young adults. The stewardship of this foundation became one of the passions of their lives. Warren loved the sea. From boyhoods spent at his family's summer home in Cutchogue, to his last vacation in the Caribbean, the sea was for him a source of pleasure and renewal, whether in the water or on it. He was an avid yachtsman and spent many happy hours captaining his sloop and his trawler. Swimming, snorkeling, and walks on the beach with Thelma were among his favorite pastimes. Above all, Warren was the patriarch, and along with Thelma, the heart and soul of their large and growing extended family. Despite his many remarkable achievements, it was their achievements—professional, educational, athletic, and artistic—of which he was most proud and that brought him the most joy. Warren is survived by his cherished wife Thelma; his four sons -Warren and his wife Cindi; Paul and his friend Jeffrey Johnson, and his goddaughter Chelsea Vasquez and her husband Nicholas; Stuart and his wife Jean; and Clay; his six grandchildren - Christin (Weberman) and her husband Adam; Warren III and his wife Jenni; Tucker and his partner Matt Soisson; Hunter; Skyler; and Robert; and by two great-grandchildren; along with many loving nieces and nephews, brothers-and-sisters-in-law, and their spouses and children. A memorial service will be held Friday, April 10th, 4PM at Larchmont Avenue Presbyterian Church 60 Forest Park Ave. Larchmont, NY 10538 In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Warren's memory to the Centennial Fund at the Larchmont Avenue Church.