Michael W. Brennan
Michael W. Brennan
The Honorable Michael W. Brennan passed away 19 April, 2026, at the House of the Dove in Marshfield. Mike was born 14 March, 1937 in Clintonville, WI, to James and Lorraine Brennan. He spent his young years in Lilly where he lived a Huck Finn childhood, developing great curiosity, a trait that lasted his life.
He attended Wittenberg High School for three years before entering college at UW-Eau Claire. During his undergraduate years he met Patricia Sanders of Marshfield. They were married in 1959.
Following his graduation from UW-Eau Claire, he began law school at UW-Madison. Mike and Pat began their family while she worked full-time and he worked part-time at a liquor store.
After receiving his JD degree in 1964, the family moved to Neillsville where he practiced law in the firm of Johnson and Brennan. In 1971, he was appointed to the Clark County bench. He later became a circuit court judge and served in the capacity for 28 years.
Together, he and Pat raised their three children in Neillsville. They enjoyed 38 years of marriage. Pat died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 1997.
In 2001, Mike married Dr. Carol McCart. With Marshfield as their home base, they shared 25 years of adventures. Together, they hosted dinner parties for charities and for friends and family and traveled extensively.
Mike believed in community and served on the state Government Accountability Board as chair, Marshfield-Wood County Foundation Board, was Scholarship chair of the Marshfield UW-Alumni Association and he also chaired Marshfield’s newly formed Ethics Committee.
Mike enjoyed numerous hobbies. He shot competitive trap for many years. He was a ham radio operator, holding an Amateur Extra Class license. His life-long passion was food and wine. He taught cooking at the Mid-State Technical College and attended the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, both for cooking and for wine classes, and took cooking classes in several countries. He loved music, especially classical, and art. He was a long-time student of 17th century Dutch Genre painters, mainly Vermeer and traveled to various countries to see his paintings. He was an avid Bucky fan.
Mike was strong, playful, wise, fair-minded, a little stubborn, kind, giving and a news wonk with a curious mind and great integrity. He could be exacting, especially when food did not meet his standards. He was brave and determined, surviving four cancer surgeries and remaining active, traveling and living a full life.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughters, Lisa Brennan and Ann (Peter) Weidenheim; his son, Sean (Deon) Brennan; five grandchildren and three great-granddaughters; and also a sister, Elizabeth Waugh (Peter), and brother, Patrick Brennan (Nan).
The family extends gratitude to the caregivers at Marshfield Clinic and House of the Dove for their compassionate care.
Mike wanted a celebration of life (as he said, a party by whatever name). There will be one, probably in a couple of months. Please check Rembs Funeral Home website for a more complete obituary and for the date of the celebration.