Memorial

William (Bill) T. Brennan, 85, of Cedar Rapids, transitioned to eternal life to join his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Monday June 6, 2022, at Mercy Medical Center. Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday June 14, 2022, at St. Pius X Catholic Church by the Rev. Phil Thompson. Burial: St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. A visitation will be held on Monday June 13, 2022, at Cedar Memorial Chapel Stateroom from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. where a vigil service will begin at 4:00 p.m. and conclude with a rosary at 6:30 p.m. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The service will be livestreamed at crpiusx.org

Bill was born on August 8, 1936, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburbs. He graduated from St. Laurence Grade School, West Catholic High and Villanova University in 1958 with BEE. He also obtained a MSEE degree in 1960 from the University of Pennsylvania. Bill lettered in basketball at West Catholic and Villanova University. 

He married his first love, Ethna Louise Pollock, at Villanova University Chapel on June 18, 1960. Louise and Bill were blessed with six children. Louise died in March 2008 after nearly 48 years of marriage. Bill met his second love, Joyce Klosterman, in the summer of 2008 and they were married in January 2009, at St. Pius X Catholic Church.

Bill worked in the Aerospace Industry for 40 years in various engineering and marketing positions:  RCA (4 years) in Camden, New Jersey, Honeywell (11 Years) in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rockwell Collins (25 Years) in Cedar Rapids retiring in 1999. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Coalition for Life of Iowa and St. Pius X Catholic Parish. He believed and actively defended the Sanctity of Human Life from fertilization until natural death and the Sanctity of Marriage between one man and one woman. 

As a former Villanova collegiate basketball player (aka: “Bomber Bill”) Bill’s passion for the sport carried beyond his college years. Bill was active in sharing his skills with the community by coaching middle school kids for years. You could always find Bill on the court at least three times a week as he prepared for ongoing leagues and tournaments. Bill was well known for his hook shot and he won several medals including the most recent at the Senior National Games in the 80-85 age group!

Bill is survived by his second wife, Joyce Klosterman Brennan; his children, Matthew of Lees Summit, Missouri, Kevin (Tara) of Austin, Texas, Anne (Steve) Boerhave of Palo, Iowa, Trina (Wally) Dunham of Hiawatha, Iowa, Alicia (Scott) Burgess of North Liberty, Iowa and Daniel of Manchester, Iowa, 14 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, and a sister-in-law, Sybil (Pollock) O’Hagan of Apple Valley, Minnesota. 

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ethna Louise (Pollock) Brennan, his parents, James T. and Edith C. (Gallagher) Brennan, his brothers, James and Francis X; and sister-in-law, Jane (Pollock) Katter  

In Lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Coalition for Life of Iowa or other Pro-Life and Pro-Traditional Marriage organizations.