Brendan Kelly of Cutchogue, Long Island, died July 7, 2025. He was 55 years old.
He was a beloved son, brother, father, and a dedicated Coast Guard veteran.
Born and raised in Cutchogue, Brendan graduated from Mattituck High School in 1988. He attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he excelled in soccer and baseball, earning induction into the USCG Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating in 1992, he embarked on a nearly three-decade career in the Coast Guard.
His first assignment was aboard the USCGC Morgenthau, followed by flight school and a career in aviation. He commanded aircraft including Falcons, C-130s, and Gulfstream V jets, and served as pilot to the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and the secretary of the U.S. Homeland Security agency. Brendan’s professionalism, skill, and leadership earned him the respect and admiration of all who served with him.
After retiring in 2019 with the rank of captain, he transitioned to the business world. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Brendan had a lifelong passion for tennis and boating, and found great fulfillment in mentoring young athletes as a high school tennis coach. He also found immense joy in coaching his sons Colin and Mitchell in baseball, sharing his love for the game directly with them. Brendan was a true and loyal friend. He invested deeply in relationships, resulting in many longtime friendships based on trust, kindness, support, and shared experiences.
He was predeceased by his father, Brian. He is survived by his mother, Barbara; his brother Sean; his sisters, Colleen and Noreen; his half-sister, Shelley; his girlfriend Mandy Hansen; his former wife Eileen; and his sons Colin and Mitchell.
The family will receive visitors from 3 to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2025, at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck, where American Legion services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Interment with U.S. Coast Guard honors will take place at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Tunnel to Towers Foundation would be appreciated.
