Robert "Bob" J. Brennan

Robert [Bob] Joseph Brennan, age 84, passed away on Friday, February 27.

Bob will be deeply missed by his wife, Margaret [Maggie] Brennan; his daughter and son-in-law Katy and Jeff Daley; his in-laws Ruth and Larry Magnan and Bernie Perella; his many nieces and nephews, including Keith Kuckert, Kevin Kuckert, Frank Samra, Cindy Wilson, Beth Huntley, Joe Samra, Brett Magnan, Jeff Magnan and their families; the Daley family; extended family members and great friends. In addition to his beloved wife of 56 years, his most cherished treasures were his grandchildren, Jed and Kurt, who were blessed to have a great fan and champion in their grandfather and now a memory of a model of what it means to live a life of devotion.

It gives the family great comfort to know Bob was greeted in heaven by his parents, Laurence and Harriet [Delaplane] Brennan; his two sisters, Susanne Perella and Christine Kuckert; and his beloved son, Laurence [Larry] Brennan, who passed away four years ago. Bob and Larry were more than father and son. They were best friends and partners in crime. Bob was a constant supporter of all of Larry’s endeavors, and particularly so after Larry became a quadriplegic after an accident at age 18.

Bob was a curious boy who grew up getting into adventures and exploring the beaches and wilderness in Rhode Island and Connecticut. As a child, Bob was often getting in trouble for many things, including taking machinery apart only to put it back together again. He put his engineering skills to use by inventing several adaptive devices to help his son live a full and independent life. Bob was always tinkering, and among his creations was an ice rink he built many winters for Katy and Larry and various neighbor children to enjoy in his backyard in Wakefield, MA, where he lived for more than 40 years.

Bob channeled his inquiring mind and love for science to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kansas State University. He went on to become a supervisory microbiologist for The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where he worked for more than 40 years. Bob was also a veteran, serving as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he did a tour of duty in Vietnam during the war.

Bob was an avid sailor and a board member at East Boston’s Piers Park Sailing Center. There, Bob created the first, all-inclusive Adaptive Sailing Program in the United States to enable his son, and subsequently thousands of individuals of all ages with disabilities, to participate in the sport of sailing. Piers Park hosted The Brennan Cup in honor of Bob’s work of combining his personal passion for sailing with helping people living with disabilities. The program continues today as a nationally-recognized, non-profit sailing program. As Bob transitions to his new life in heaven, we wish him “fair winds and following seas,” an oft-quoted greeting from Bob to fellow sailors.

The Brennan and Daley families will hold two funeral services for Bob. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield, MA on Thursday, March 19 from 4-7 p.m. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield, MA on Friday, March 20 at 10 a.m. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 24 at St. Agnes Church, 3966 Chestnut Ave., Concord, CA. There will be a private burial in Rhode Island at a separate time. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Piers Park Sailing Center in Bob’s name.