John Azor Betts Brenan

BURLINGTON, Mass. – John Azor Betts Brenan passed at the Lahey Burlington hospital in Burlington Mass. on Jan. 29, 2020, at the age of 91, after suffering injuries from a fall. He was the husband of the late Mary Jean (Peterson) Brenan. John was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, to the late Herbert S. and Elsie (Murdoch) Brenan.

John was a kind and loving husband, father, and Grampie/Papa, and leaves behind daughter, Mary Ellen Murphy, her husband Philip, son, Colin Brenan, his wife Sandra, son, James Brenan, his wife Josee. John is also survived by grandchildren, Gillian, Colleen and Anna Murphy; Julia and Michael Brenan; Catherine Brenan.

He is predeceased by brother, William Murdoch Brenan and wife, Alice.

John graduated from Saint John High School and attended University of New Brunswick receiving a degree in electrical engineering. After university, John was employed with the New Brunswick Telephone Company for over seven years, then with the New England Telephone company for 28 years in both Portland and Massachusetts.

John was a devoted volunteer, through the churches he attended, Habitat for Humanity, Telephone Pioneers of America, Junior Achievement and as a reading tutor. He was also active with the Boy Scouts, starting in his youth with Scouts Canada, and later as an adult leader with Boy Scouts of America, eventually receiving the Silver Beaver Award, their highest honor for service.

John loved being on the water. His early days were spent motorboating on the Saint John River. Later, John built his own wooden sailboat and enjoyed sailing it on lakes in Massachusetts and Maine, and during family vacations on Cape Cod.

After retirement, he and Jean moved back to Maine, enjoyed traveling, including trips to France, the United Kingdom and to scenic places in the Western USA and Atlantic Canada. John also developed a passion for finding his roots, becoming a skilled genealogist, and managed to trace his lineage back to the 1600s.

John leaves his surviving family with fond memories of his gentle nature, wry wit and eccentric ways in addition to an enduring legacy of family history.

A funeral service will be held on Feb. 15 at the Second Congregational Church of Beverly.

Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly, Mass. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com

John would have appreciated donations to be made to either Habitat for Humanity or the Androscoggin Hospice House.