Thomas Bradley Brennan of Southold died on Oct. 25, 2017 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He was 76 years old.
Born on Dec. 19, 1940 in Jackson Heights, Queens to Walter and Mary (O’Brien) Brennan, he served for five years in the U.S. Army, almost entirely in Germany, until his honorable discharge as a second lieutenant.
He was a graduate of Chaminade High School in 1959 and later attended St. Bonaventure College and Stony Brook University where he received his master’s degree.
He was a strong supporter of Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU and other organizations that pursued social justice. He also participated in community theater groups in Westhampton and Mattituck as an actor and director.
Formerly of Hampton Bays and East Quogue, he moved to Southold 25 years ago. He was an English and drama/theater teacher at Mattituck High School for 27 years. He was voted “Teacher of the Year” at Mattituck High School and named Suffolk Times Educator of the Year in 2000.
He is survived by his loving partner of 25 years Jane Nordstrom; by five children: Colleen Schneider (Scott) of Center Moriches, Kevin Brennan (Bonnie) of Monkton, Vermont, Jennifer Brennan Francis (John) of South Salem, New York, Alex Nordstrom of Southold and Christopher Condon of Thailand; by three sisters, Patricia Cardone of Manassas, Virginia, Ruth Snow of Rockville Centre and Kathy Gannon Omundson of Corpus Christi, Texas; and by 11 grandchildren: Lindsay, Ben, Dan, Peter, Faith and Heidi Schneider, Ian and Isabel Brennan, Jackson and Julia Francis and Taj Magic Condon.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. Church by Monsignor John Rowan.
Memorial donations may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or Southern Poverty Law Center. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
