Robert Harald Engh (November 21, 1946 - July 11, 2024), Commander, USN (ret), age 77, Severna Park, MD

Some knew him as "Angus," many knew him as "Bob," and a special few as "Grandbob," but to all who knew Robert Engh, he never left a room a stranger, and if he could help it, he always left a friend. Born in Montclair, New Jersey in 1946 to Florence & Harald Engh, and raised in Long Island and Clinton Corners, New York, Bob Engh made his mark as a natural-born leader several times over, from high school class president and captain of the football team, to Commander in the US Navy, to President of the DC Jaguar Club, to business mentor to his son Brent, and even softball coach for his daughter Kathryn's childhood teams.

Like many young men of his era, Bob's draft card came up while he was in college, and after receiving his Bachelor's degree in History and Political Science from Parsons College in Iowa, he enlisted in the US Naval Reserve in 1968, and was commissioned as an officer in 1971. He took specialized training in the areas of Cryptology and Intelligence and reported to duty stations across the globe, including, among others, Monterey CA, San Diego, Italy, the Panama Canal, the the USS Constellation (CV-64)  and USS Little Rock (CLG-4), and two tours in DC. Bob received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy Expeditionary Medal, and retired with the rank of Commander after 24 years of service, and went on to receive his MBA from Loyola University in Baltimore.

To know Bob is to know his long love for British cars, and he could often be found tinkering on a Jaguar in his garage with friends. Even as he toured, Bob held a membership with the Jaguar Club from San Diego to DC, where he served in several leadership positions, including Concours judge, Concours Chief Judge, and club President, and of course, as photographer for many club events. He and Joyce Newton, his spouse for 29 years, have been co-members of  the Nation's Capital Jaguar Owners Club for over 20 years, and in his message to the NCJOC, President John Larson shared:

"Congenial Bob… always shared his smiling, enthusiastic demeanor at club events; the scenic country drives, the social meetings and Scottish Walk Christmas Parade, the exciting slalom runs, and even at the rain-soaked 2022 Concours. Bob was also interested, like some irrepressible Pied Piper, in encouraging young lads to engage with him in the car hobby."

Though reports are lacking on what awards he received for his beloved 1966 E-Type Coupe, we'd guess there are at least a dozen plaques or plates or medals to this effect in his office.

When not at car shows and events, he enjoyed chatting with fellow veterans at the Annapolis Fleet Reserve Club, taking countless photos of Osprey at Severna Park High School, and getting away to his stepson Scott's home in Moab, Utah to "Listen to the quiet."

Bob led his life with a deep sense of fairness and service to others, and if someone needed an hour, he gave five. Whether stopping to help a stranger on the side of the road, or teaching a youngster how to use a camera, or volunteering at the Pascal Senior Center on Friday food distribution days, he delighted in answering the call to serve others.

His children and grandchildren carry with them many skills and wisdom from Bob. As his stepson Scott has said, "I have learned many lessons from him, and one of the biggest was to appreciate every moment — and he genuinely did. Believe me, he has the photos to prove it."

He leaves behind his loving spouse Joyce Newton, brother Eric Engh, and children Robert Brent Gerencher, Kathryn Eves. Other survivors include Mark and Scott Newton, five grandchildren, and former wife Barbara Engh.

A memorial gathering will be held on Tuesday July 23, 2024 from 2:00pm-4:00pm with a time of remembrance starting at 4:00pm at Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home & Cremation Care, P.A. 495 Ritchie Hwy Severna Park, MD 21146. Followed by a 6:30 pm reception at the Annapolis Fleet Reserve Club, with burial at a later time in Clinton Corners, New York.