William "Bill" Dumas Brennan, 81

William "Bill" Dumas Brennan, 81, of Flat Rock, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014, at Park Ridge Health.

A native of Plattsburgh, N.Y., he had lived in Muskogee, Okla., prior to moving to Flat Rock in 2000. He received his bachelor and master's degrees from Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., a journey that began when he and a friend rode their bicycles to the school from Plattsburgh for their freshman year. Between years he hitchhiked to California for summer jobs. He received his doctorate from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and taught there while pursuing his degree.

Since then he had worked for Addressograph-Multigraph of Cleveland, American Optical Corp of Southbridge, Mass., Boston Digital of Milford, Mass., and Coburn Optical of Muskogee, Okla. He held several patents in optics as well as other fields of technology.

He enjoyed camping and sailing and built his own sailboat. Later he became an avid golfer, was a member of the Hendersonville Country Club and had attended Hendersonville First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, James Tracy Brennan.

Mr. Brennan is survived by his wife of 20 years, Donna Brennan and four children, Kathy Brennan of Sterling, Mass., Nancy Parker and her husband Mark of Tucson, Ariz., Jim Brennan of Boise, Idaho, and John Brennan and his wife Pat of Webster, Mass., as well as eight grandchildren, Jennifer, Steven, Connor, Sean, Neil, Stephanie, Scott and Brandy.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2014, in the chapel of Shuler Funeral Home. Dr. Wana Archer will officiate. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hendersonville Rescue Mission 639 Maple St. Hendersonville, NC 28792.

To offer condolences online, please visit www.shulerfuneralhome.com.