Obituary
David Sullivan Wrenn

Dr. David Sullivan Wrenn ended his battle with cancer with his family by his side on January 27, 2026 at the age of 72. Determined to defeat his illness, he fought a terminal diagnosis for seven years and succeeded– his disease no longer lives but his memory and impact are everywhere. It was a hard fought battle but, as always, David had the last word.

David was born to Dr. Frank Reece Wrenn Jr. and Betty Sullivan Wrenn on February 16, 1953 in Durham, N.C. and spent his childhood in Greenville, S.C. with siblings Frank and Martha. He attended Christ Church Episcopal School and Greenville High. A devoted scholar, he graduated from Furman University before earning a PhD in Cell Biology at The Medical College of Wisconsin. There in Milwaukee, he met the love of his life, Ann Stackpole Wrenn, and spent 44 years by her side, with her as his biggest supporter.

David started his career in academia as a PhD candidate and lecturer at MCOW, post-doctoral fellow at Washington University, and assistant professor at Brown University Medical School. He was happiest in the lab, mentoring young scientists and contributing to key research in pulmonology, pathology, elastin, and numerous other disciplines. When he later moved into industry, he maintained his dedication to clinical science and continued contributing to many studies and academic papers– just search for DS Wrenn and you’ll be overwhelmed by the results. He made impacts at Astra/Merk, Novartis, Otsuka, PDL Biopharma, and finally, Quest Diagnostics. David was stubbornly scientific until the end; even in the chemo chair, he was researching and designing new supplement regimens.

David and Ann planted roots and raised their two daughters in Raleigh, N.C. David loved North Carolina, especially the Blue Ridge Mountains, and built his favorite place on earth at Lake Adger. Nothing brought him more happiness than mornings spent sipping coffee on the porch overlooking the water, afternoons out on the boat, and evenings enjoying a drink by the fire.

“Dr. Dave” was a true erudite polymath and knew something about nearly everything. He was a fluent French and Spanish speaker, sharp dresser, adept hunter and fisherman, world traveler, talented artist, avid reader, oenophile, lifelong golf fan, auto enthusiast, blues aficionado, college sports fan (Go Duke!), and crossword whiz. He could ride a bike with no hands, skateboard, tell you the Latin root of nearly any word, ride a horse, explain the cellular mechanisms of action for anything in the body, speak at least a few words of almost any language, and give you a history lesson on just about any topic. He loved all animals, insisting there could never be just one in the house, and on several occasions was the stand-in emergency vet for the family’s dogs, cats, birds, and horses. David packed a lot of life into his 72 years and had endless stories (that were never brief) to tell.

Despite living with multiple sclerosis for nearly 30 years, David was determined to live life on his own terms. When he received a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis in 2019, he was determined to beat that too. He was determined to “go out swinging” and found peace knowing that he left no stone unturned.

His memory will be carried forward by his wife, Ann; daughters, Mary Elizabeth (Corey H.) and Helen (Alex L.) Wrenn; brother, Frank Wrenn III (Martha); nieces, Shelby Heron and Catherine (John G.) Wrenn and their girls; nephew, Frank Wrenn IV (Jenny) and their boys; cousin, Nim (Linda) McConnell and daughter; and numerous extended family members, friends, students, and colleagues. He joins his beloved parents and sister, Martha Wrenn Heron; aunt Mary McConnell Simpson; cousin, Danny McConnell; and best friend, Richard Gilkerson for a long overdue reunion. At David’s request, interment will be private.

He was grateful for the exceptional, compassionate care he received at Duke Raleigh. If you’d like to make a donation, the family requests that they be made in his name, Dr. David S. Wrenn, to the P.G. Fox Fund at Duke Raleigh Hospital. Donate directly by going to www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth and searching for the fund by name.

David’s memory will live on through the many people he impacted. Share memories of him as often as you can. Learn a new language. Go try that new restaurant. Rescue an animal in need. Call up an old friend. Tell people you love them. Make so many memories that they won’t all fit on a page. Get all you can out of life with the time you have, just like David did.