MILFORD – Thomas “Tom” Francis Xavier Brennan, beloved son, husband, father, and brother who was an attorney for the State of New York, entered into eternal life Friday night, September 5, 2025, surrounded by his family at his home in Milford following a seven-year battle with Multiple System Atrophy. He was 64.
Tom was born on January 26, 1961, in Brooklyn, the son of Patrick J. and Maureen (Duffy) Brennan. He attended St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, where he was a star player on the football team. He went on to attend Oberlin College, where he studied history and politics, played football and rugby, enjoyed the company of wonderful friends, and most importantly, met the love of his life, Jacinta “Cinta” Maria Jansen.
He attended St. John’s University School of Law. After graduating, he married Cinta in 1988 in Washington, D.C. Tom had a long and impressive career as a public servant. He worked as Deputy Inspector General for the City of New York Department of Investigation, an attorney for the State of California and the State of New York, in various offices, ending his career as the General Counsel of the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation in 2019. He was a tireless and passionate advocate for truth and justice.
Above all, Tom believed in the importance of building community through showing up for people and committing himself to causes he believed in. Passionate about public education, he served on the Milford Central School Board of Education for many years. He loved spending time with his daughters and their friends, and his passion for sports led him to naturally take on the role of coaching many soccer teams throughout their childhoods. When he wasn’t coaching, he could be seen yelling passionately in the stands at every game. Tom loved hiking, gardening, and exploring his acres of land. A deeply curious person, he loved any project or task that required research. He loved reading, engaging in debate, and knew how to stir up a room. His laughter was contagious, and he found joy in living, even when MSA brought challenges. He never complained. He was a selfless and generous person.
Thomas is survived by his mother, Maureen Brennan of Cooperstown; his wife of 37 years, Jacinta, of Milford; their four daughters, Julia Brennan of Providence, Rhode Island, Emily Brennan and husband, Daniel Sparks, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fiona Brennan of Los Angeles, California, and Grace Brennan of Albany, New York; a sister, Eileen Brennan of Oyster Bay, Long Island; a brother-in-law, John Weale of Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada; three nieces, Meaghan Espinosa and Sarah and Elizabeth Weale; a nephew, Daniel Espinosa; and fifteen nieces and nephews on the Jansen side.
He was predeceased by his father, Patrick J. Brennan, who died April 16, 2002, and a sister, Colleen Brennan Weale, who died October 12, 2024.
A celebration of life will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 13, at the Greater Milford Historical Association, 77 North Main Street, Milford, NY 13807.
To honor his memory, donations may be made to Helios Care: https://www.helioscare.org/donate/. The Helios staff took such good care of Tom and Cinta and made his final peaceful passage possible.
Arrangements are with the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.
