Timothy Edward Brennan

Timothy Edward Brennan, son, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather died Thursday, June 12, surrounded by the family, music and memories he loved for a lifetime. He was 92 years old.

Born in Orange, NJ on Jan 3, 1933, he was the son of the late Dorothy George and Timothy F. Brennan and lived in New Bedford, Mass until the family  moved to Highlands in 1944.

A  graduate of Atlantic Highlands High School, Class of 1951, Tim  earned his degree in electrical engineering from Newark College of Engineering following an earlier career with the US Merchant Marine.

But Tim’s lifelong dedication to learning, being productive and helping others started when he was a teenager and  trained at the YMCA to be a lifeguard so he could work summers during high school as a lifeguard in Highlands.  He also served as a boy scout leader in Highlands.

While serving with the Merchant Marine, Tim shipped throughout Europe during the European reconstruction following World War II, and also  traveled in China, Hong Kong, Macau and other ports in Asia.

After earning his degree, Tim was a  licensed professional engineer  and employed at DuMont Laboratories In Clifton, and at a Paramount Pictures Color TV laboratory in New York in the early days of color TV. He was president of Wing Industries, Inc. of Cranford, New Jersey, and in that capacity traveled much of the U.S. and Canada. It was while with Wing that Tim earned his first patent, an energy exchange wheel and method of fabrication .

Later in his professional career, he operated Castleton Homes of Atlantic Highlands, building pre-fab homes throughout New Jersey, and for more than 20 years, was also a managing partner of 85-87 First Avenue, a professional office and commercial retail building  in Atlantic Highlands.

Tim also built a pacifier business , Pacifaces, with his son-in-law, Henry (Chip) Meahan  They designed and manufactured fun and creative pacifiers, with a working motto of  “Pacifiers with Character”. His second invention that earned him a patent was for an infant mask he created for Pacifaces.

At the same time, he was known and beloved by his neighbors and friends for the  wine cellars he built at their request.  He also enjoyed woodworking, stained-glass artwork, wine collecting and mentoring his grandchildren including flying remote-controlled planes in the open fields.

Tim married the former Jean Vaughan Aug. 16, 1954, not long after he first saw her walking out of her home on Washington Avenue in Highlands and knew instantly she was “the One.” The couple eloped and had an incredible 62 year love-filled marriage until Jean died Sept. 11, 2016.

The couple moved to the Hilton Park section of Middletown in 1962 where he lived until December of 2019 when he took up residence at  Arbor Terrance in Middletown.

In addition to his parents, Tim was predeceased by his brother, Alfred Horay, and two sisters, Janet Wood and Patricia Brink. He is survived by his four daughters and their families, Cathy Bailey, Highlands,  Patti Thomas, Santee, California,   Laurie Meehan, Hilton Park in Middletown and Robin Lueddeke,  Magnolia, Delaware. Grandchildren, James and Kaitlin Bailey of Lincroft, Jordan Thomas, New York City, Oliver and Kristyn Thomas of San Diego, Cali, Alyxandra Meahan, Asbury Park, TJ  and Sarah Lueddeke of Belmar, Jared Lueddeke and his partner Leah Gorr of Lancaster, Pa, and great grandchildren, Derek Bailey and Shane Bailey of Lincroft. He is also survived by two brothers Michael and Terrence, and several nieces and nephews.

The family has dozens of funny, interesting, and learning memories they want to share about Tim, including Robin’s favorite when  she was driving,  her vehicle had a slipped transmission, the car broke down  and she called her dad for help;  he had to drive it backwards the rest of  the way home.  All the daughters loved the Dick Kleva stories from their father’s growing up years when the duo were inseparable and would jump off the Highlands Bridge and ride the tide to Sea Bright, swim in the ocean all day, then ride the outgoing tide back home.  It was Kleva’s dad who then would hunt them down and give them sandwiches. Tim later joined an adult swim team  and was known as a phenomenal swimmer.

He was strict on not allowing any stickers on car bumpers, his own, or his daughter’s.

There was the year Tim read 100 books, eager to always learn more but blending it with entertaining reading of biographies and novels. But he also loved tv, especially old time movies and fishing and animals shows.  The Discovery Channel was always a favorite.

His love for his daughters was only exceeded by his affection for their families, and he reveled in his grandchildren, roughhousing with them as youngsters and never missing their sporting events after they started school.

The family appreciates their dad’s kindness and generosity but note also his knowledge of all things because of his engineer’s mind and desire to always learn, instruct and educate himself and anyone else willing to learn. . He has taught the family  in the way he led by example, together with his instructions to always be reasonable and fair to others; he showed generations of his family the true meaning of love in how he treated his wife.

The family also extends special thanks and appreciation to the staff and Hospice team at Arbor Terrace who blended professionalism with love in providing Tim with peace and happiness during his time there.