Brian Branagan

Colonel Brian J. Branagan (USA-Ret.) passed away on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. He was born December 29, 1935, in Brooklyn, NY, to Joseph A. Branagan and Jewell M. Branagan. He attended Brooklyn Prep and earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from New York University in 1958 and a M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri, Rolla, in 1970. At NYU, he was a member of the Glee Club, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and the Army ROTC. On December 28, 1957, he married Roseanne Carney, his high school sweetheart and love of his life. After graduation, he worked for Continental Can Company. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and his first assignment was Nuremberg, West Germany. Brian served two tours in Vietnam. His favorite assignment was Berlin, where he managed the construction of several facilities, including the rebuilding of Checkpoint Charlie. He joined the church choir with Roseanne and sang barbershop with the Berlin Accords, making lifelong friends from across the world. Brian retired as Deputy Director of the Corps of Engineers, South Atlantic Division, in 1988. He moved to Niceville, FL, in 1994 to work at Delta Research and retired from L-3 Communications in 2005. Brian served on the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County and sang bass with the Emerald Coast Chorus (barbershop) and the Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Church choir. He was a life member of the Society of American Military Engineers, where he also served as president of the Washington Post.

He is survived by his wife, Roseanne; their children Brian, Jr. (Kim) Branagan, Kim Branagan, Lynn (Dave) Forman, Erin (Garry) Boyd, Tricia (Greg) Branagan Lambert and Kevin (Johanna) Branagan; their grandchildren, Connor (Molly) Forman, Austin (Corinne) Forman, Taylor Forman, Kelly (Ron) Dossena Reinhardt, Jack Branagan, Brian J. (Tripp) Branagan, III and Drew Branagan; two great-granddaughters, Riley Forman and Elle Forman, and a large extended family including Scott Boyd, Nick Lambert, Alexandra (Ivan) Lambert Domenech and Jayda Domenech.

Brian lived life with a gusto that was contagious. He loved his family and extended family, his church, fishing, Ebro, entertaining and martinis. He was known for his pocket full of jokes and his red pen.

There will be a visitation held at 10:00 am at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Church in Niceville. A funeral mass will follow at 11:00 am and will also be livestreamed. Please visit corcatholic.org for more information.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Brian's memory may be made to Jesuit High School (4701 N. Himes Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614 or jesuittampa.org/donate) to provide the gift of education for students in need.

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