John Jay Brickell

John J. Brickell, age 87, passed away March 10, 2026 at Nittany Mountain Medical Center. He was born in Syracuse, New York on June 4, 1938, to the late Charles H. Brickell Sr. and Mary Ellen Brickell nee View.

Growing up in Syracuse, John graduated from Eastwood High School and later attended both Syracuse University and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1957, he began working for Rand Corporation, System Development Division, in upstate New York where he was a senior computer programmer analyst.

In 1961, he began proudly serving his country in the United States Air Force in the 107th TAC Fighter Squadron. He served in Phalsbourgh, France during the Berlin Crisis, and then served as a field-site programmer at the Eastern NORAD Region SAGE Combat Center. After his military service, he returned to Rand Corporation and was transferred to Santa Monica, CA, where he wrote programs, course curriculum, and instructed officers for the Air Force. In 1970, he was transferred to New Jersey with his growing family, working in Paramus, NJ, and then in New York City where he was the head of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital computer lab department until he retired. After raising his family in Westwood, NJ, John spent the last twenty-five years of his life living in Gatesburg, PA.

John was an avid sports fan who supported both Penn State University and Syracuse University, particularly their football and basketball programs, and he thoroughly enjoyed watching tennis and attending the US Open in Flushing, NY. He had excellent culinary skills and enjoyed gardening. John also had a remarkable memory and was a fantastic storyteller. He was a proud member of Nittany American Legion Post 245 based in State College. John was a man of faith and a parishioner of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in State College.

Above all, John was a devoted family man who deeply loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Nothing gave him more joy than spending time with those he loved.

John was predeceased by his parents Charles and Mary Ellen, his sister-in-law Barbara Brickell, and his great-grandson Jeromy Daiwey Whalen.

He is survived by his daughter Monique Whalen and her husband Patrick, his sons Curt Brickell, and Jason Brickell and his wife Tara; his brother, Rear Admiral Charles Brickell, USN, Retired; his grandchildren Jesse Whalen and his wife Romilyn, Averi McNeel and her husband Clayton, Nicole Schneider and her husband Greg, Abigail Whalen, Ayden Brickell, Charlie Brickell, and Lily Brickell; his great grandchildren Bode and Dahlia and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will take place on Saturday, March 21 at 9:00 AM at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, State College PA., followed by his burial at Centre County Memorial Park.