Obituary of Melody H. Brennan

Melody Hilt Brennan, beloved wife and mother passed away on November 18, 2022 in the house that she made a home for more than 50 years surrounded by her family.

Born June 6, 1945, she was the daughter of Evelyn A. Hilt and Harold Hilt of Schenectady. She graduated from Colonie High School in 1963 and earned her Associates Degree from Mildred Elly.  She was employed at Asphalt Stone Products and later at Blossoms Montessori School. On July 8, 1967 she married Joseph M. Brennan, whom she adored all of her life. Melody devoted her life to creating a beautiful childhood for her and Joey’s four children. Her most cherished achievement was this happy family. She threw the best parties; she made the best Halloween costumes; and she knew what a well-spent life should be. At heart, Melody was an artist and, aside from mothering, her life was one that was devoted to craft. A master seamstress, she taught herself to sew doll clothes starting at the age of 5, and all through her childhood she honed her skills, sewing all of her own beautiful clothes in high school. She worked at her projects night and day all of her life, and her patient dedication to painstaking craftsmanship was a comfort and a model to her family and friends. She leaves behind innumerable beautiful works which are treasures. She was a long-time member of The American Sewing Guild and the Embroiderers Guild of America. Melody was an avid bicyclist, and she and Joey enjoyed many multi-day tours. One such trip included an epic ride of 3,000 miles across the US in 2011, beginning in San Diego, CA and ending in Narragansett RI, where the family enjoyed many summers. Melody and Joey also took a bike tour of Provence, France to celebrate their 50th anniversary. 

Melody is survived by her husband Joseph, and their children: Aindrea Richard (Gaven), Cailin Brennan (Stanley Penc), Eamonn Brennan (Courtney Iwasaki), and Liam Brennan, as well as her five grandchildren: Graham, Roland, and Roxana Richard and Kian and Connor Gilmore. She is also survived by her brothers: Tim Hilt, Ronald Relyea and her sister, Patty Ostrander, as well as her brother-in-law John Brennan and his wife Rose, sister-in-law Mary Ann Brennan, and Melody’s many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. We will all miss her terribly and cherish her memory. In Melody’s memory, perform an act of kindness, and think of her. 

The family wishes to extend special thanks to Dr. Makenzi Evangelist for her care and compassion, and to The Community Hospice for their assistance during Melody’s final days.

The family will receive visitors from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Sunday, November 27, 2022 with a memorial service to immediately follow at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Ave, Delmar, NY 12054.

Donations may be made in Melody’s memory to The Community Hospice, 310 S. Manning blvd. Albany, NY 1220, www.communityhospice.org/donate  or Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave. Menands, NY 12204, www.mohawkhumane.org/donate.