Over the course of his 20-year career at PAH, John A. Brennan, Jr., RN, MSN, took on a variety of roles, serving as the nursing administrator of the former Skilled Nursing Facility, nursing clinical director for Behavioral Health, Orthopaedics, Nursing Informatics, and the medical-surgical unit, nursing lead during the PennChart roll-out, and a key member of the design team for the Crisis Response Center. In every position, he proved himself to be a transformative and inspirational leader who took great care and pride in setting others up for success, then smiling in the background during team celebrations.
On July 11 — two weeks after celebrating his 38th anniversary with his wife, Janice Gasho Brennan, RN, MSN — Brennan passed away at 62. Though the loss was immense, he left a legacy of kindness and integrity and made an indelible mark on the colleagues he mentored and the patients he cared for over the years.
A memorial service celebrating his life was held last month, during which his peers shared stories of his impact. George Shafer, MSN, RN, NE-BC, nurse manager of 7 Cathcart, recalled that Brennan was always willing to talk through problems and share his sage (and often wry) wisdom, but pushed people to find their own solutions. CMO Dan Feinberg, MD, noted that even if a situation arose in the middle of the night or on a weekend, Brennan would be there supporting his team and offering “stalwart leadership,” adding, “There was never a better Samaritan than John Brennan.”
For Patty Inacker, DSW, MBA, administrator of the Behavioral Health Service Line, her memories aren’t limited to their recipe swapping or her knowledge of his frequent anonymous donations to Hall-Mercer’s Pet Pantry. “John and I also discussed our golf game. John golfed with the belief that one great shot was all you needed to bring you back into the game. He lived his life with the same passion, knowing that one great moment can sustain you for a lifetime,” she said. “John brought compassion and knowledge to every situation, and we are grateful that he shared himself with us.”