Obituary of Eleanor Mae Brennan

Eleanor Brennan, AGE 90 o Woodbridge Eleanor Mae Brennan, age 90 years, of Woodbridge, NJ died on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 at St. Joseph's Senior Center in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Eleanor was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 3, 1925 to the late Arthur Francis Nutting, and the late Mae Elizabeth Nutting. Arthur was a U.S. Navy man all his life and Mae was a member of the Starlight Girls Social Club. Eleanor lived happily on Troy Avenue as a child with her parents and younger brother, the late Ronald Francis (Kelly) Nutting. She also had an older brother (Arthur) who died before she was born. Many of her relatives lived on the block or nearby blocks. As an adult, she often recounted the joys of living as a child in close proximity to so many extended family members. Eleanor was a graduate of Girls Commercial High School and worked for a brief time at the Signal Corps in NY. In addition to her parents and brothers, she is preceded in death by her loving husband, Philip Francis Brennan (1916-2011). Eleanor and Phil were married on April 30, 1950. Phil had served stateside (in Birmingham, Alabama and San Bernadino, California) as a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Army until the war ended. After the war he returned to Brooklyn and began work at the Signal Corps in NY where Eleanor was working. After Eleanor and Phil were married, Phil worked in Manhattan as a film editor for CBS and she was mainly a stay-at-home mom and homemaker during the years they spent raising a family. Eleanor and Phil moved with their 3 children from Hendrickson Street in Brooklyn to Holly Drive in the Woodside development of Sayreville, NJ in 1968. Shortly after moving to Sayreville, Eleanor began working as a circulation clerk at the Old Bridge Library and stayed with the library for many years. After their children were grown and on their own, Eleanor and Phil moved from Sayreville to the Marlboro Greens retirement community in Manalapan, NJ in 1987. During that time she retired from the Old Bridge Library but put her energy to work setting up a library in the clubhouse of Marlboro Greens. Eleanor broke her hip just days before her husband, Phil died in their home on Jan. 26, 2011. He was buried while she was recovering in the hospital. There were complications after her surgery and her recovery was never complete enough for her to return home. Eleanor lived out the rest of her days in the care of the wonderful staff at St. Joseph's Senior Center. Eleanor died comfortably in her sleep. She is survived by her 3 children: Mark Francis Brennan, Kathy Brennan Jennings, and Philip James Brennan. Eleanor miscarried a 4th child in 1963, who already had been given a name (Paul) and a portion of love from her gentle heart. Mark now lives in Freehold, Philip is in Piscataway and Kathy lives in Florida. Eleanor will be remembered as a loving and devoted mother and grandmother. In addition to her children, she is survived by her grandchildren, Noelle Paige Brennan, Jeffrey James Brennan, Kayla Marie Brennan, Alana An Jennings, Asia Ai Jennings, and her beloved daughters-in-law, Gloria Lynn and Gloria Karin and son-in-law, James Gordon Jennings III. Visitation will be held on ________________________ at the Freeman Funeral Home, 344 U.S. 9, Manalapan, Township, NJ 07726 Burial will be on _______________________________ at the Holy Cross Cemetery, 840 Cranbury South River Rd., Jamesburg, NJ 08831 In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to, Food for the Poor, 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073 (FoodForThePoor.org) Thank you, Kathy Jennings home 954-581-6050 cell 954-648-1566 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:2