Brennan Robert Norton Bredl

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Bredl, and a daughter, Eliza Ruth. Brennan is also survived by his parents Chuck and Stephanie Bredl, siblings, M and Reece Bredl, grandparents Bud and Marilyn Norton, as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Brennan grew up in Algona, Washington, where he played sports, participated in choir, and competed in speech and debate competitions. From the time he was young, he wanted to serve in the military, and he attended the University of Portland on an Army ROTC scholarship. He graduated from UP with a history major and as a Second Lieutenant.

Brennan was assigned to the Army National Guard in 2013. He served with several Field Artillery Units and spent a few summers as a wildland firefighter in Eastern Washington. In between these assignments, Brennan worked for the YMCA and on an AmeriCorps team restoring public lands, and he went on to attend Skagit Valley College Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy. Brennan worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service at Cape Cod; and then returned to Washington State to be a park ranger there. In 2017, he fell in love with Fort Columbia, the Washington Coast, and Lisa.

Brennan and Lisa were married in 2020 at Fort Columbia State Park; in the location where they had their first date. They then relocated to Panther, West Virginia, where Brennan was employed as the Park Superintendent at Panther State Forest. He then transitioned to the Army Reserve, and he soon thereafter was promoted to Captain.

After Eliza was born, Brennan took on a role as the Deputy Director of City of Bluefield Parks and Recreation, and he began working on his master's degree from the American Military University. In 2023, Brennan deployed to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa, with the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion. When he completed his deployment and returned home injured, he attained his Master of Arts degree in Emergency and Disaster Management.

Brennan loved the mountains, the beach, and being outside. He adored his many pets. Stray animals wandered into his life everywhere he went, and he had a very compassionate heart for any creature in need. Brennan had a dry sense of humor and a sarcastic wit. He was smart and a lifelong learner. He challenged himself to continue to learn new things and jumped into roles that were unexpected, such as leading water aerobics classes or substitute teaching. Brennan was a respected and kind leader. He had a way with words, and a challenging or even ridiculous debate would bring a sparkle to his eyes. Most of all, Brennan loved his family, especially his girls, Eliza and Lisa.

In recent months, Brennan was struggling with recovering from a terrible injury. He was distressed about the job market and the current state of our country, particularly the disregard for the Constitution and the lack of care and respect for our military veterans. His re-entry into civilian life post-deployment had been difficult and he was hurting both physically and emotionally. On behalf of Brennan, we urge those who are in a crisis to seek support and share your pain with someone who can help.

Brennan's family and friends will be holding a Celebration of Life for him at a later date.