A model of active living

Enjoying and excelling in many fields isn’t new to 85-year-old Rena Glenn Kerr of Corona del Mar. She studies French, writes and illustrates children’s books, and takes hula lessons. Rena Glenn Kerr has worn many hats.

The former fashion model, who specialized in modeling hats and jewelry, has kept every hat she’s ever worn. In fact, the man who previously owned her Corona del Mar home had a gun closet, which she now uses to house her extensive hat and headwear collection.

“I’ll put some color in your life,” said the 85-year-old socialite.

Kerr definitely lives a colorful lifestyle, and her home and wardrobe express her creativity as well as her affinity for world travel and antiques.

Aside from her years as a model, during which she appeared on a assortment of magazine covers, Kerr has many accomplishments under her belt. A long-time world traveler, she is planning a trip to Mongolia this summer and may be visiting Israel in the fall.

Most of her travel these days is to attend conferences for the many organizations she belongs to, such as Mensa International, the International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace, and the World Congress of Poets.

Years ago, Kerr was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature from the World Congress of Poets in recognition of her many published works.

Since she was a young girl growing up on a ranch in New Mexico, Kerr has enjoyed drawing, writing and being creative.

Although she has never had any formal art training, she is an accomplished artist -- she writes and illustrates children’s books and greeting cards for all occasions.

“I don’t sell anything ever,” Kerr says of her writing and artwork, adding that everything is copyrighted but she does it all for pleasure, not financial gain.

Kerr has led what she calls a “charmed life,” but it wasn’t always that way.

In fact, she was doing secretarial work on the atomic project in the 1950s when she took a vacation to California. While visiting, she attended a cocktail party where she met John Robert Powers, who offered her a job as a model. So, without hesitation, she returned to New Mexico, gave her notice and packed her bags for Southern California.

“I went from the atomic industry to the modeling industry,” she said, laughing.

Kerr said she thoroughly enjoyed the years she spent in the modeling industry, adding that everyone thinks it’s an easy and fun job, but it’s actually very hard work.

After moving to California, Kerr met and married Hollywood cinematographer William Mellor. She spent years on movie and television show sets, meeting celebrities and having them to her home for dinner. Shortly after shooting the film “Giant” -- which starred screen legends Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean -- Mellor died of cancer.

But Kerr managed to pick up the pieces and move on, persevering in her own career and active social life.

Though she never intended to marry again, years later she met Robert Kerr, founder of Kerr Dental Products. After years of being happily married and world travel together, he too died of cancer.

Again, Rena Glenn Kerr overcame the grief from the loss of her second husband and continued to travel and make friends all over the world. She said she has spent so much time traveling the globe, she’s barely spent any time in the United States.

Along with her many social commitments, Rena Glenn Kerr stays busy with her writing, artwork and travel. She also takes hula lessons and studies French at the Oasis Senior Center every week.

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at (714) 966-4625 or lindsay.sandham@latimes.com.

20060121itf5hnncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Former fashion model Rena Glenn Kerr, 85, tries on one of the many colorful hats she wore in her modeling days. She has kept every one she has worn.