James John Brennan III

John was born on January 12, 1945 in Akron, Ohio and graduated from Scituate High School in Scituate, MA in 1963. He went on to become a proud member of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 1967, majoring in history and enjoying the brotherhood of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon. He received a law degree from Boston College in 1970.

He met Maureen Shannon Brennan, at Carolina, and they were married in June 1968 and have two children, Sage Thomas Brennan and Corey Brennan Grabar. They enjoyed a blessed family life in Wellesley, MA, where John worked in corporate development roles at a series of Boston-area technology firms, and were members of Wellesley Country Club and Wellesley Congregational Church. Friends in East Orleans, MA introduced them to the joys of Cape Cod where the family spent 30 happy summers. In retirement, John and Maureen moved to The Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Georgia, and were members of the Landings Club and Skidaway Island United Methodist Church. They resettled in Raleigh, NC in 2021.

Pop loved his family and friends with tenderness and a sharp wit, always keeping in close touch with dear friends from Chapel Hill, Wellesley, Cape Cod, and Savannah. He was the king of “one-liners” and loved to laugh and travel with friends. A passionate Tar Heel fan, he also loved playing golf, being on the water in his boat in both Orleans and Savannah, and spending time with those closest to his heart. He smiled quietly and stood by his children with reassurance, eyes shining at every mention of his kids and grandkids and delighted in spending time with them, especially as his health declined.

John is survived by Maureen, his wife of 54 years, his children Sage Brennan of Sintra, Portugal and his wife Renee Brennan, Corey Brennan Grabar of Raleigh and her husband Joseph Grabar; sister Deirdre Brennan; and grandchildren: Zeb and Noe Brennan; James Watson, Gwendoline, Rex, Sadie Ann, and Daphne Grabar.

Services will be held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 100 E. Peace St, Raleigh, NC at 11:00AM on Monday, January 16, 2023. In lieu of flowers, his family would suggest donations to:

Young America’s Foundation www.yaf.org

NC DU Education Foundation (memo line: M S Gray Scholarship Fund) ℅ Fred Atkins, 211 Ibis Lane, Durham, NC 27703

Services by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.