John Brennan’s life revolved around public service throughout central Ohio.

Brennan, who was mayor of Bexley, died Jan. 30 of pancreatic cancer. He was 64 years old. Hilliard residents also knew him as the director of the city’s Recreation and Parks Department from 2000-08, before he became Bexley’s mayor.

Mayor Don Schonhardt described Brennan as the ultimate public servant.

“All of us who had the pleasure of working with John as Hilliard’s Parks and Recreation director were deeply moved by John and his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer,” Schonhardt said. “John served the Hilliard community with the same enthusiasm and passion that he served the city of Bexley as its mayor. John was everything that one could ask for in a dedicated public servant. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.’

“We were so saddened to hear of John’s passing,” said Heather Ernst, deputy director of the Hilliard Recreation and Parks Department in an email. “He left such a big impact on our staff and community and will be sincerely missed.”

Ernst said that among Brennan’s accomplishments as director were the completion of the Phyllis A. Ernst Senior center renovation and expansion, improvements at the Hilliard Family Aquatic Center, acquisition of skate park equipment in the Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park, and development of the Lakewood, Latham, Silverton and soccer parks. He also implemented the department’s online registration process.

“He truly did not know a stranger and made everyone who walked into his office feel welcome,” Ernst said of Brennan.

Mindy Atwood, founder of Hilliard-based charity Patches of Light, said Brennan was “awesome (and) a very genuinely nice person.”

Brennan served with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1967-69. He earned a bachelor of science degree from the Ohio State University College of Education and a master of science degree from OSU’s School of Natural Resources.

From 1972 through 1984, he worked for the city of Bexley in the Recreation and Parks Department and became its director.

From 1984 to 1994, Brennan owned Brennan’s Broad-Nel Restaurant in Bexley.

Brennan served as director of the Bexley Parks and Recreation Department from 1973 to 1984. He worked as a sports program supervisor for Dublin Parks and Recreation in 1997 and was the recreation and wellness director for the Columbus Jewish Community Center from 1994 to 1996.

Brennan spent a total of 23 years in parks and recreation and 30 years in city government.

In 2004, he was named the Ohio Parks and Recreation’ Association’s professional of the year and was inducted into the OPRA Hall of Fame in 2011.

Brennan served as a member of Bexley City Council from 1988 to 1995 and was city council president from 1994-95.

He was elected mayor of Bexley in 2008 and re-elected to a second term on Nov. 8, 2011.