Virginia Mae Andres
Brennan
- Celebration of Life
- Saturday, January 27th, 2024, in the Chapel at Saint John’s on the Lake, 1840 N. Prospect Ave, Milwaukee.
In joy and sorrow we celebrate the life and announce the death of our matriarch, Virginia “Ginny” Mae Andres Brennan, age 96. After a rich life, well-lived among a large family and community of friends, she succumbed to congestive heart failure on December 6, 2023, in hospice at home, Saint Johns on the Lake. To the end she expressed her humor and love to everyone in her orbit, and there were many.
Raised with 6 sisters and 1 brother in Depression-era Milwaukee, Ginny received a college scholarship, but WWII and family constraints intervened, so she entered the workforce putting the college dream on hold for 30 years, until she happily attended UWM in the 1970s.
Married to the love of her life, Joseph K. Brennan, Sr. for sixty years at the time of his death in 2009, they each came from large families, and together had 9 children. She is survived by Kitty Brennan (Joe Murphy), Joe Jr. (Janet Kovalcik), Tim (Keya Ganguly), Grace Flynn (Dan Brennan), Molly (Tim Glaesemann), Caleb Michael, John (Saraswati Sunindyo) Maggie (Gustavo Juana), 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, her sister (Reene) and many loving nieces and nephews. The family home on Lake Drive was known as a beautiful and welcoming place.
A deeply spiritual woman, rooted in Catholicism, but pushed beyond its bounds, she followed her innate intellectual curiosity and radical empathy to learn about other faiths, literature, philosophies, activism and ethics. A lifelong reader, she employed all she learned to raise her family and serve her wide network of community, who loved her back in kind. A joiner, a doer, and a great listener, she leaves behind a legacy among groups too many to name, who were enhanced by her participation. She was an artist at heart, a patron of the arts, a conservationist and naturalist, who cultivated creativity in her gardens, and in all she met.
There will be a Service in the Chapel of Saint Johns on the Lake, January 27, 2024, at 1:00 pm. The Service (or Celebration of Life) will also be live-streamed by Saint Johns via the Chaplain’s YouTube link here: CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Following the Service, the family will hold a reception with light refreshments in the North Cultural Arts Center at Saint John’s from 2:00-4:00pm. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to a public garden, Saint John’s Communities Foundation https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/SaintJohnsCommunities/OnlineDonation.html, or St. Benedict the Moor Parish.
Aunt Ginny was not only my aunt but also my Godmother. I loved listening to her endearing tales about my mother, the eldest sibling of eight, Margaret.. I would listen to her endless stories of growing up in very difficult times. Pushing forward through barriers and rising above. She was a mentor of great inspiration and a teacher. I will miss her dearly. I love youand miss you Aunt Ginny. Thank you
I met Ginny through the Peace Movement in Milwaukee or more particularly the Pledge of Resistance and I have so many great memories of that time. I also have good memories of the times we collaborated on the LET IT HAPPEN retreats in Racine. We staffed them together many times and I always learned more about Ginny. I just happened upon her obituary because I was writing my Christmas cards and I began to wonder if Ginny was still with us or if she already departed this life! I was stunned to find out of her passing; We hadn’t communicated since the 90’s when I went off to D.C. at that time.
My sympathy and prayers to all of you, her family. She spoke of you often and always with a tremendous amount of love.
My sincere condolences to the family. Ginny was my mom’s cousin (Mary Kaiser Terrien). I met Ginny a few times, usually at family funerals, but she was always so caring and nice. She was a true GEM! I remember one story – Ginny was reading at someone’s funeral and had two different earrings on. I mentioned it to my dad (Ernie). He, of course, then went up to Ginny & said “my daughter was wondering why you are wearing two different earrings” OMG I was MORTIFIED!!! But Ginny was so sweet & explained that she liked BOTH pair & couldn’t decide, so she wore one of each! I LOVED her spirit! May you all find comfort in the lovely memories you have of her.
Ginny was loved & respected by so many of us at St John’s She was so friendly, interesting, curious & had a way of making people feel comfortable. You were a lucky family. Sorry we residents can’t come to her service today.
It seems Virginia was everywhere!
I met her on the elevator and we started going to ‘Christians with Questions’ together.
In those days she’d drive to Lake Park for her walks through the park..
She was involved in ‘St Johns Reads’ and UWM’s intergenerational program for students planing to work with the elderly.
I’d see her at lectures and movies, at poetry committee and racial justice committee meetings.
We were in a poetry/creative writing class together.
Along with other St Johns residents we participated in Woodland Patterns Poetry Marathon.
I’m sure she did many things I’m unaware of as she was an active woman.
Always a twinkle in her eye and a smile, and always an interest in how you were doing.