James Kearney Brennan

Friday, May. 29, 2020

May 22, 1934 ~ May 9, 2020

James Kearney Brennan passed away on May 9, 2020, of cancer, at his home in Walnut Creek, Calif. Although he lived away for the past 65 years, part of his heart was always in Salt Lake City. He was born here on May 22, 1934 to Lawrence James and Thelma Feeney Brennan. They named him after their dear friend, Bishop James E. Kearney, the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Thelma died far too young in 1942. In 1944, Larry married Gladys Hanlon Brennan, who loved him and his children from the moment they met.

Jim graduated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in 1952. He received the Moran Award recognizing him as a Catholic gentleman, a scholar and a leader on and off of the football field as their quarterback. Some things never change. Jim was always a caring leader and a gentle man.

Always industrious, Jim delivered newspapers for the Salt Lake Tribune until he was old enough to park cars for the Continental Bank. He attended Notre Dame University and the University of Utah. During college, he followed in his grandfather’s footsteps working for the railroad. He laid track in Nevada for Western Pacific, who offered him a full college scholarship. Western Pacific was purchased by Union Pacific, for whom he worked until his retirement in 1997.

In 1961, Jim married Marilyn McMullen in Kansas City, Missouri. They made their home in California, where Jim was stationed with the railroad. They had three children, Jude Kearney (Yali), San Francisco, Calif.; Jane Catherine, Concord, Calif., and Ian (Marilena), Italy. Their world revolved around their children then, and now, as they welcomed their beyond-special grandchildren Kyler, Kody and Cuore. Marilyn died in 2018.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, Jim is survived by his siblings, Kathleen - Sister Thelma Brennan, D.C., Los Altos, Calif.; Jenifer Gibbons (Mike); Mary Clark (Pat); Lawrence Brennan (Denise); and Patricia Cohrs (Mark), all of Salt Lake.  Many, many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends also dearly loved Jim.

Jim spent many productive hours commuting to and from his work. He wrote articles and letters demanding social justice for all, beautiful letters, two books about how to care for his special daughter, poems and prayers. He was kind, humble of heart, generous in all ways, gentle, loving and a wonderful human being.  

A celebration of his life will be in Walnut Creek, sometime in the future.