Alice C. Brennan

BOSTON — Alice Catherine (Trainer) Brennan, 97, of Boston, passed peacefully from this life, on Nov. 10, 2007, at the Mary McCarthy Hospice House in Sandwich. Her grandniece, Jennifer Hills, was at her side.

She was the daughter of Alice (O'Donnell) and Owen C. Trainer of Malden, and the sister of Howard of Malden, Walter (and his wife Esther) of Dennisport, Sister Desiree of St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana, Owen Bertrand (and his wife Dorothy) of Bangor, Maine, and Joseph (and his wife Mary) of Stoneham, all of whom predeceased her.

She is survived by her nieces, Ann Hills of Hyannis, Joanne Goodspeed of Florida, Kathleen McBride of Florida, Nancy Leahy of New Hampshire, Judith Long of Harwich, and Sara Trainer of Harwich. She is also survived by her nephews, David Trainor of Texas, Paul B. Trainer of Maine, Peter C. Trainer of Connecticut, and James Trainer of Alabama. She was predeceased by a niece, Mary Alice Caldwell. She is also survived by many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Alice very much loved and kept in close contact with her many nieces and nephews and their expanding families. She was the "glue" that kept all of us together and could be counted on to remember all of the dates of all the events that were important in our lives. She was remarkable in her ability to make a new friend out of nearly everyone she met as she was so engaging. She was genuinely interested in people's lives and was ready to help as necessary. Her family as well as her large coterie of friends were there for her throughout her life, particularly in these last four months that have been marked by incidents of illnesses. She never gave up hope, but hope has a way of changing its form depending on some circumstance, and she was finally at peace with and looking forward to taking her rest. We have loved and admired you Alice, and will miss you dearly. Remember us in "Homeport" til we come"¦

Alice kept interested and interesting all through her 97-plus years. She was president of her class at Boston University, the School of Practical Arts and Letters, and graduated in 1932, having celebrated her 75th reunion this past spring. After graduation, she taught school in Woodbridge, N.J., for several years. She returned to Boston and became executive secretary and controller for Park Construction, a position she held for 20 years until her retirement in the early 1970s. She was a member and past president of the professional organization, Women In Construction.

She continued her love of learning into her late 80s by both taking and teaching courses at The Institute for Learning in Retirement at Boston College. She made and kept many friends from this association, who shared her interest in literature, opera, and other subjects as well.

Alice was a founding member of the Boston College Club, where she loved to entertain her family and friends. The chef of the B.C. Club, Billy DellaVentura and his wife, Martine, became close friends of hers. Martine was extraordinarily helpful to Alice over these past several years, and Alice was ever grateful to her, as well as to another friend and neighbor, Norine Smith; she couldn't have done it without you.

She was an active member in her beloved parish, St. Ignatius of Loyola in Chestnut Hill, serving on the parish council and as a member of the finance committee. She treasured her friendship with her pastor, Fr. Robert VerEecke, S.J. and depends on his prayers as well as of those of Msgr. Joseph Alves of Boston and Fr. J.A. Loftus, two other very close friends.

Alice enjoyed and supported the arts throughout her adult life. She served as a past board member of The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. She was a past member of the Sargent Society. She also supported the Boston Symphony Orchestra and attended many performances over many years.

At her request, there will be no wake. There will be a memorial Mass at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, 28 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, or The Boston Symphony Orchestra.