Alexander Brannen

1943 - 2024

Alexander Brannen

April 18, 1943 - July 25, 2024

Alexander J. Brannen, born in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA and a resident of Wildwood, NJ for the last 60 years, passed away on July 25, 2024 at the age of 81. He proudly served in the United States Coast Guard and had a distinguished career in various sales positions for over 50 years. Al was also a Commissioner for the City of Wildwood from 2009 to 2011 and he and his wife owned and operated several motels in Wildwood until the early 2000's.

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Diane; his sons, Thomas and Andrew; his daughters-in-law, Diane and Dian; his cherished grandchildren, Lucas, Lila, Patrick, Samantha, Alexandra, Amanda, and Mallory; and his dog Lucy.

Al was a dedicated volunteer in numerous community organizations and especially treasured the time he spent with the Wildwood Historical Society. He was also an avid collector and classic car enthusiast, often spending time at his beloved garage, where he proudly displayed the collectibles he had acquired over the years.

Al's dedication, passion, and humor will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He loved to share a good dad joke, orchestrate a prank, tell a story about his childhood, and show home videos of himself skydiving, driving at the Richard Petty experience, and flying in a B-24 bomber.

While he had many hobbies and interests, nothing brought him more pleasure than spending time with his family, especially a good road trip. His favorite pastime was to pack everyone into the family car (usually a station wagon), with no definite destination or schedule, and create an adventure with unforgettable memories. Suffice it to say that he preferred a Rand McNally Road Atlas to a GPS, a single lane road to an Interstate, and a duffel bag to a suitcase.

And finally, although Al was not born in Wildwood, make no mistake that he had Wildwood in his DNA. As much as he loved to travel, he was most happy relaxing on his porch on a breezy summer evening, spending time at the Wildwood museum, attending an event at the Convention Center, or giving his always anticipated comments at a Commissioner's meeting.

Donations in Al's memory can be made to the Wildwood Historical Society, 3907 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at a later date.