TOPSHAM — Jean Marie (Riley) Brennan, 79, died May 16.

She was a native of Providence, R.I, and met her husband of 37 years, Thomas J. Brennan, there. He predeceased her on Sept. 16, 1992. She considered her four children her greatest accomplishment.

The daughter of Madeline E. and William J. Riley, she was was born on July 12, 1930 and attended local schools.

After graduating from the Katherine Gibbs School in 1950, she was working as a legal secretary at a Providence law firm when she met her future husband, Thomas J. Brennan.

They were married on June 4, 1955, and lived in New York, where they raised four children until relocating to West Chester, Penn.

She worked as a plaintiff personal injury paralegal at New York law firms, earning praise from clients citing her fierce advocacy skills and sense of fairness.

Surviving are her brother Bill and sister-in-law Ann of Laurel, Md.; four children, daughters Lisa of Glen Ridge, N.J. and Michaela of Ann Arbor, Mich. and sons Thomas of Yarmouth, and David of St. Johnsbury, Vt.; sons-in law, Scott Raab and Peter Linebaugh and daughters-in-law Charlotte and Jolene; seven grandchildren, Riley, Isabel, Molly and Fionnuala, and Judah, Darby and Daniel.

There will be a memorial Mass at 10 a.m., Friday, June 4 at St. Mary’s Church, 538 Broadway, Providence, R.I.

Memorial donations may be made to community health clinic, Packard Health, 3174 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108.  

Arrangements are by Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick.  

Condolences can be expressed at brackettfuneralhome.com.

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