There are few homebuilders who know as much as their subcontractors do. Ken Brennan came close.
"There was nothing about building a home that he did not know. He knew masonry, plumbing and carpentry. He studied electrical engineering and was a self-taught architect. He even knew about landscaping," said Mr. Brennan's wife of 53 years, Patricia L. Brennan.
Kenneth C. Brennan of Evans City, who started building homes before he was old enough to drive, died of cancer on Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida. He was 74.
Starting at 14, Mr. Brennan learned masonry, plumbing and carpentry from his uncle, Lou Jakovac. After graduating from Wilkinsburg High School -- and while an engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh -- he became a master plumber and managed a growing business.
At the age of 18, Mr. Brennan became a licensed pilot.
Born Sept. 7, 1937, to Kenneth G. and Anna J. Brennan, Mr. Brennan grew up in Wilkinsburg and founded his company when he was 19, in 1956. Based in Evans City, today Brennan Builders Inc. is run by his son, Robert Brennan.
Each of the thousands of homes the company has built is individually designed, the younger Brennan said.
"Real estate ads often say that a home for sale is a Brennan-built home. That's a point of pride for us," said Brennan, who took over the family business eight years ago after leaving the engineering research faculty at Carnegie Mellon University and working for a high-tech startup.
One of the first homes Mr. Brennan built was in Richland, and it was near there that he met his wife. The two married on Aug. 9, 1958.
Patricia Brennan was the daughter of the owners of a grocery store in Hampton and one of 14 children. She went on to handle the finances and endless odd jobs for Brennan Builders.
"He was 20 when we married. I was 17. I've never regretted a day. He opened up the world to me," she said.
The Brennans were avid travelers whose vacations took them to Russia, Spain, China, Egypt, France and many parts of North America.
"He was adventurous. He just liked different cultures and places. He especially loved seeing the architecture in these places," his wife said.
Mr. Brennan was an antique car collector and restorer, whose eight cars ranged from a 1930 Ford Model A to a 1956 Ford Sunliner convertible.
In addition to his wife, Patricia, and son, Robert, Mr. Brennan is survived by a son, Kenneth R. Brennan of Evans City; daughters, Deb Lindewirth of Prospect and Sandra Cox of Evans City; and 13 grandchildren.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday in Boylan Funeral Home, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Grace Church of Harmony, 538 Main St., Harmony Borough. Burial will be in Grace Church Cemetery.
