Remembering Akron Champion Ann Brennan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Julie Billiart Schools joins the Akron community in mourning philanthropist and long-time friend, Ann Amer Brennan. Ann and her late husband David were instrumental in bringing JB to the Akron community. A loan from the Brennan family allowed the school to purchase the building that is now JB Akron. Upon David’s death, Ann turned that loan into a generous gift and started a relationship with JB that lasted many years.

In the years following their initial gift, Ann supported tuition assistance, our annual Celebrate Gala, and most recently, the expansion of the Akron campus. Her generosity made the eighth-grade classroom possible, giving them an expanded learning space.

The Brennans were tremendous champions of the city of Akron. Through their philanthropy and their leadership, they remained committed to expanding resources that benefited their beloved community. Ann was educated as an attorney, but volunteering and philanthropy ultimately became her profession. She held many leadership roles in Akron non-profits and led with compassion and courage.

Family was the center of her world, and she spent many years as a full-time mom and homemaker for her four children. She applied her knowledge of the law to lend leadership and philanthropy to causes that benefitted Akron families, including making sure that children with social and learning differences had access to a school where they found love, acceptance, and belonging.

We are incredibly grateful for the Brennan family and their commitment to giving Akron families access to the services they need. Ann was 90 years old.

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