Obituary of Barry Jennings Brann

Barry Braan, many interests kept him on the run Barry Jennings Brann worked for a quarter of a century for the Norfolk Southern Railway, but that wasn't nearly enough to occupy him full-time. At various times during that period, he owned and operated an advertising business, was an auxiliary police officer for three Northern Kentucky cities and a leader in a Fraternal Order of Police lodge, was director of security at Latonia - now Turfway Park - racetrack, was active in the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and stumped for various political candidates. "Up until the day he died, he always had something going," said a son, Todd Brann of Burlington. Mr. Brann died Wednesday at his home in Covington. He was 63. During most of his railroad career, he operated Brann Advertising Specialties, a Fort Mitchell company that distributed promotional materials. He was an auxiliary police officer in Taylor Mill, Fort Mitchell and Crescent Springs, reaching the rank of lieutenant in the last, and served as vice president of the Kenton-Boone FOP in 1976-77. He was director of security at Latonia from 1983 to 1986. Despite his various occupational interests, he always found time for his three sons and daughter. Sometimes he mixed family and professional interests. "In the 1970s, the FOP used to bring the Grand Ole Opry to Turfway every year and he would have us kids out there helping with that," Todd Brann said. Retirement in 1993 hardly slowed down Barry Brann at all. He launched another business, an auto detailing shop in Covington, and worked as a private investigator and as an arson investigator for the Kentucky State Police. He made an unsuccessful run for Kenton County sheriff and volunteered for the fledgling Covington Business Council, on whose board of directors he served from 1994 to 2000. Mr. Brann seldom rested because he liked to be out and about, in the middle of things, his son said. "He loved politics, the hustle and bustle," Todd Brann said. "He knew everybody and he seldom forgot anybody's name." Mr. Brann was an Air Force veteran and a member of American Legion Post 203. He attended Northern Kentucky University - where he took acting classes and appeared in several student productions - graduated from Eastern Kentucky University's School of Law Enforcement and was an alumnus of Leadership Kentucky. He was a former board member of Goodwill Industries and a former Ambassador of the Year for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Survivors include two other sons, Tim Brann of Hebron and James R. Brann of Sacramento, Calif.; a daughter, Kimberly Brann of Covington; and five grandchildren. A memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075 or to American Veterans Administration, 4647 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, Md. 20706.