Joseph J. Drennan of Shelton, age 99, entered into rest on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT. He was born at his family home in Bayonne, New Jersey on October 25, 1924 to the late Dennis and Katherine (Finnegan) Drennan. He was the devoted husband of Rosemary (Monahan) Drennan for over 67 years, until her passing in October 2023.
Joe grew up as the sixth of ten siblings in a close knit Irish Catholic family and attended St. Peter’s Preparatory High School in Jersey City. He was a World War II veteran, who served as a B29 Navigator based on the island of Tinian in the South Pacific. Upon his return to the United States, he attended Seton Hall College in New Jersey and obtained a degree in Mathematics. He worked as an actuary at the Equitable Insurance Company in New York City, where he met the love of his life and future wife, Rosemary Monahan. The couple moved to Connecticut in 1957 after Joe received a job offer from Pratt & Whitney to train as an engineer. He continued his engineering career at Avco (Textron) Lycoming, and retired after 30 years. In work and in life, Joe set an example of unwavering integrity based on a keen and compassionate moral compass.
Joe was a mischievous jokester who used his sparkling blue eyes and dimples to charm everyone he met. He was a devoted family man who valued quality time with loved ones and enjoyed telling tales of his childhood and early marriage. He had a playful sense of humor and his jokes never failed to crack a smile. Joe knew how to maintain a work-life balance before that was a popular concept. He had fun playing bridge, pinochle, cribbage, and poker and taught any interested family member how to join in. He enjoyed singing and whistling and used to sing classic patriotic songs to his children as they fell asleep. Joe loved to dance and could be seen leading Rosemary to the dance floor at every wedding and party. He was a lover of mystery novels, crosswords, maps, and puttering in the backyard with his golf club. In his retirement, Joe and Rosemary had many travelling adventures together where he could always be spotted with his signature flat cap and a cigar.
An enthusiastic sports fan from birth, Joe passionately supported the Boston Red Sox, the New York Rangers, the New York Giants, and the UCONN women’s basketball team. He was an avid golfer and a member of the Orange Hills Country Club Lovington League, continuing to play on Tuesday evenings through 2023. Joe was a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary Church, where in earlier years he participated in the Men’s League and called bingo. He was known for enjoying olive loaf, chocolate ice cream on apple pie, bacon and black olive pizza, hard rolls, pineapple, and coffee after dinner.
He is the beloved father of Joseph W. Drennan, Paul Drennan and his wife Kathleen, James Drennan and his wife Julie, and Marianne (Drennan) Jacklyn and her husband Glenn. He also leaves six cherished grandchildren: Megan Drennan (Daniel Wieczynski), Emily Drennan (Oscar Puente); Margaret Drennan-Piper (Harrison Piper), Liam Drennan (Lizzie Erickson); Casey Jacklyn and Audrey Jacklyn; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may greet the family at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, Shelton, on Friday from 4 to 7 PM. On Saturday his procession will leave the funeral home at 10:30 AM for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM at St. Margaret Mary Church in Shelton.
Memorial contributions are requested to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org)
Online condolences can be offered at www.riverviewfh.com.
