John Lawrence Brennan
Jack - passed away peacefully on April 9, 2016 surrounded by his family. Jack was born on June 9, 1925 in a home in Miami on N.W. 15th Street just east of Biscayne Boulevard to Joseph G. Brennan and Carolyn M. Brennan. He was their first child. Joseph, a runaway from New Jersey, was drawn to Miami by the promise of warm weather, sunshine, swimming and diving. He courted Carolyn, the young daughter of John Lawrence Wolfe, one of the only dentists in South Florida at that time. They were married and they lived in Miami and Miami Beach where they raised their three children, John, Joseph and Mildred.
Miami Beach was in its infancy when John (everyone knew him as Jack) Brennan grew up and lived for part of the year in Miami and part of the year in Miami Beach. Miami Beach, at that time was becoming a resort in the winter and an escape for people up North fleeing the cold weather. In the summer, Miami Beach, closed down, and was used predominantly by locals for fishing and enjoying the ocean. Jack lived on South Beach for part of the year and in Miami the rest of the year.
Jack and his family lived in a house across the street from "Joe's Stone crabs" restaurant which served seafood to the people fortunate enough to be able to live in South Miami Beach during the winter. He enjoyed the parks and recreational facilities built for the winter tourists. He stood out as a student and athlete. He won the Miami Beach Handball Championship at 15 years of age. He excelled as a Student at Miami High School as well, where he was a student with the first love of his life, Eugenie Marie Warriner.
In his junior year at Miami High School World War II broke out and changed his life forever. Halfway through his Senior Year he was offered an early graduation for those who were willing to join our armed forces. He accepted his diploma and went with his father and they both enlisted in the US Navy. His 14 year old brother Joseph stole a copy of his birth certificate shortly after that and ran away to enlist in the Navy. The war was in full swing and brave young men answered that call to duty.
Jack excelled in boot camp and was sent to Morehead State College where he received an AA degree in 6 months. He trained to be an aircraft electrician and shipped out to Guadalcanal from San Diego. He spent the next 3 years repairing fighter planes damaged by the Japanese and brought back to the Aircraft carriers by their pilots. Their group moved from Guadalcanal to Efate and finally to Guam to support the Naval Air Command. These brave men endured sweltering heat, supply problems, and the horrors left behind as they drove the Japanese forces back toward Japan.
After the war ended in the Pacific, he returned to San Diego where Eugenie met him. She had taken the train from Miami to meet him and they were married on 12/3/45. That's right 12345 an easy anniversary to remember. They returned to Miami, and used money he accrued in the Navy to buy a house in West Miami. They started a family of six children. They named them John Lawrence Jr., James Michael, Joseph Patrick, William Jeffery, Jean Marie, and Janet Lorraine.
Jack went to work rewinding motors in Miami and entered the apprenticeship program at Local 349 of the IBEW. He met Harvey Elwood while working as an apprentice. Harvey went into business wiring house for the General Development Company in Miami. Jack joined him in his business, Elwood Electric Co. and together with three other electricians; they grew to be one of the largest residential electrical contractors in the state of Florida. Jack became a Master Electrician in Dade County, FL and was also an Electrical Inspector in West Miami, FL. Jack became one of the first Unlimited Electrical Contractors licensed by the State of Florida. The business grew as the building contractor, The Mackle Company, grew and began developing communities all over Florida. They also wired homes and shopping centers for General Development and The Babcock Company. The business grew and was renamed Elco Electric, Inc. They were one of the few Union based companies working on housing developments in Florida. They contracted work and employed union electricians all over Florida. Some of the communities they helped develop were: Marco Island, Pompano, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Port St Lucie, Deltona, Palm Bay, Marion Oaks, St Augustine Shores, and Tampa Palms. Harvey, Jack, and their partners Hank Henry, Greg Chokanis, and Ed Covington employed and trained many people in Florida and helped Florida become the 3rd most populous state in the US.
Jack was also a family man and coached all of his children and many of his grandchildren in Softball and Baseball. Jack also loved to play golf and made many friends out on the course. Hitting one of his Hole in One's on the 136 yard 7th hole of the Spessard Holland Golf Course in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He loved the beach and all outdoor activities.
In 1981 Jack's wife Jean passed due to illness. After a 2 year period of mourning the loss of his wife of 36 years, Jack became close with Margaret Kellermann. Margaret and her late husband Teddy Kellermann had been close friends with Jack and Jean since they all attended Miami High School together. They had spent holidays together and raised their families together as close friends and neighbors. Margaret's children Margaret, Ted, and Fred grew up with Jack's children as close friends. When Jack and Margaret were married in 1985, they lived in Tennessee near the Smoky Mountains National Park. Jack and Margaret along with Margaret's daughter Margaret and her husband Carl operated The L Ranch Motel on highway 321 north of Gatlinburg, TN. They enjoyed country life there and hiking on the beautiful trails near their cabin on a creek. Jack and Margaret enjoyed their retirement years building cabins, gardening, and sightseeing in Tennessee and around the country visiting their extended family members, their children, and friends.
In 1987 Jack and Margaret bought a townhouse near Sebastian Inlet on the Beach. There they shared the beachside living experience with all of us and their friends. Golfing, beach combing, and interacting with the community in positive ways were things that they loved to do. They continued to help and guide their children and grandchildren by being positive role models for all of the people in their lives. After several changes of address they continue to live in the Melbourne area in Indialantic. One of Jack's golfing buddies, Al King (brother Al), married Margaret's daughter Margaret, and has been instrumental in helping make Jack and Margaret's journey through life a happy and fruitful one.
All of us, Jack and Margaret's children, love and respect them both. Our Spouses and our children and their children have received great joy and love from our parents and have been blessed to have them in our lives. We are all blessed to have been a part of this huge extended family and hope that this narrative will encourage all of you to reflect on the joys and the positive influences that Dad and Margaret have provided to all of the many friends they made during their life journey.
We will be holding a celebration of Jack's life on Sunday - May 22nd at
Jennifer and Greg Chace's house, Rockledge, FL
11:00 am - 3:00 pm.
All are welcome to come and enjoy fellowship, stories and remembrances of "Grandpa Who?" and Grandpa the Great! In lieu of flowers - "Vote for Trump!"