Vaughn Carpenter Brennan

Vaughn Carpenter Brennan, 89, died on March 28, 2023, after a brief hospital stay. Vaughn was born June 5, 1933, in Berlin, New Hampshire to the late Earl Melis Brennan and Lucile Carpenter Brennan.

Vaughn’s father was a chemical engineer who moved the family from New Hampshire to Dallas, Texas and then to Cincinnati, Ohio. Vaughn especially enjoyed his New England roots and his summers spent at his aunt and uncle’s farm “Indian Acres” in Connecticut with his cousin Donald Goss whom he considered his brother. He graduated from Withrow High School in Cincinnati Ohio in 1951. He enlisted in the National Guard of Ohio in 1951 but that would be short lived as they found out he was only 17. He then started attending college at the University of Cincinnati where he was in the Air Force ROTC Program until November 1952 when he enlisted in the Air Force in his chosen field of International Affairs.

He was part of an elite group of airmen chosen to attend Yale University at the Language Institute where they were taught Chinese. As a covert group of military men, they attended school in civilian clothes. The airmen were then sent to an island just above the 38th parallel where Vaughn’s job was to decipher what the Chinese pilots said as they flew over. Some of the honors Vaughn earned were the National Defense, Korean Service and United Nations Service medals. After his stint in Korea, Vaughn was transferred to DC where he worked for the National Security Agency (NSA).

After his service, Vaughn completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois in Champagne where he was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity.

While in DC Vaughn met his first wife, Pauline Mann Brennan. They first lived in Atlanta, Dalton Ga and Greenville SC where Vaughn worked in sales for Burroughs Corporation. While working for Burroughs he has the unexpected honor of meeting Dr and Mrs. Martin Luther King in their living room while on a sales visit. He later worked as the Assistant National Sales Manager for Copycat Corporation in Manhattan and was later the National Sales manager for GFN, Copying Products. After finally settling in Pauline’s hometown of Lakeland, where they raised their 3 children, he became the District Sales Manager in Florida for Caloric Corporation. During this time Vaughn had a cooking show on the local CBS affiliates in the Tampa Bay and Jacksonville markets where he was promoted as the “World’s Second Funniest Cook.”

After their 3rd child was born, Vaughn decided to go to law school first attending Stetson University and later The University of Baltimore Law School. He participated on Moot Court, was the first student selected for the Baltimore City’s Public Defender’s Program, was in a special intern program for the Maryland Bar, wrote two papers for the University of Baltimore Law Review and earned his Juris Doctorate. While his wife was in Florida teaching school, Vaughn worked as a front desk clerk at the Holiday Inn in Baltimore where he met all the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Colts that stayed there. This resulted in his son receiving a stack of signed autographed photos.

Following his graduation from law school Vaughn returned to Lakeland where he purchased the law office of retired Judge EM Knight and set up his practice specializing in domestic and criminal law. A fan of Perry Mason, Vaughn was often referred to as the lawyer who wore the white hat in court. Vaughn also taught criminal law at the local community college for several years.

A bit of a dreamer, Vaughn and a friend, Frank Parrish, established the Florida Air Travel Association. This was an air travel club which ultimately included 6000 families and owned two aircrafts – a Covair 880-200 and a DC-8-21. Trips were throughout the Caribbean, South America, Europe, across America, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Bermuda. The highlight of his travels was a trip taking 128 people into the Peoples Republic of China in 1978 where the group were considered emissaries for the people of Florida. This was the largest group to visit the PRC after President Nixon and one of the very first after trade relations were first established. The trip served as a tool to help China establish tourism. The Americans came with letters of introduction from Governor Reuben Askew, Secretary of Agriculture Doyle Conner and the mayor of Jacksonville. Vaughn Loved to travel and what experiences he had.

After 27 years of marriage Vaughn divorced and Vaughn moved to New Orleans where he married his 2nd wife (of 38 years) Joan Diemert Brennan. He took an active role in Joan’s grown children’s lives and especially enjoyed being Papa to Joan’s grandchildren. Vaughn converted to Catholicism where he sang in the choir at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Algiers, La.

Following his retirement from law, Vaughn worked in Marketing at the Volvo dealership in Metairie, LA and later was a permanent substitute teacher for the International Baccalaureate program at the John Ehret High School in Marrero, LA. Vaughn really enjoyed working with the students. He was also extremely active in Rotary in the Metairie Sunshine Rotary chapter where he was awarded Rotarian of the Year multiple times and served as Vice President/President Elect of the Belle Chase, La Rotary chapter. Vaughn LOVED everything about Rotary. Vaughn was proud to serve almost 20 years as a docent for the World War II Museum in New Orleans where he oversaw numerous school and private tours. The museum was a true passion of his. Vaughn loved New Orleans: the food, the history, the culture and his and Joan’s many friends there.

Vaughn and Joan returned to Lakeland in 2019 where they were able to spend more time with Vaughn’s children. He loved Imperial Polk County and enjoyed being back in Florida. Vaughn transferred his Rotary membership to the Ybor City chapter where he was able to have weekly lunches with his son and daughter in law. He was proud of his roots and served on the board of the Florida Society of Mayflower Descendants as Counselor. Vaughn and Joan enjoyed their many visits from her children and their numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Vaughn never met a stranger. As a student of the written word, he enjoyed reading historical novels, watching old movies and musicals, and listening to music of the 1940s/1950s era. He loved spending time in the North Carolina mountains and enjoyed his annual “guys” trip to the mountains with his son Web and a group of Web’s fraternity brothers. His most treasured moments were spending time with his beloved wife and their extended family, all of whom loved him dearly.

Vaughn is predeceased by his sister MaryBeth Scheinbaum and his parents. He is survived by his wife Joan Diemert Brennan; brother-in-law Mark Scheinbaum (Cary); children: Annie-Laurie Brennan Wynn (Bill), Weldon Earl Brennan “Web” (Kim), Katherine Walna Brennan Riner “Katie” (Jeff), stepchildren Pamela Joan Guerrieri Riddell (Ray). Marc Stephen Guerrieri (Katie), Gina Marie Guerrieri, Renee Theresa Guerrieri, Gail Elizabeth Guerrieri, grandchildren: William B. “Will” Wynn Jr (Haley), Logan Joseph Baio Brennan (Verena), Rachel Katherine Mann Wynn Earls (Harold IV), Fallon Mann Brennan, and Savannah Victoria Deitch; step grandchildren Julia Anne Wynn Myers (Keith), Jason Joseph Riddell (Zara), Adam Louis Riddell (Kendall), Katie Riddell (fiancé Joey), Alessi Minette Guerrieri, Karis Almy, Kales Almy and Ander Almy; great grandsons: Harold Lloyd Earls V “Leo”, Wyatt Wynn Earls, Truett Coleman Earls, Atticus Mann Earls and step great grandsons Asher Riddell and Theo Riddell.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 11 AM at St. John Neumann Catholic Church Lakeland, Florida.