David William Brennessel

Canandaigua - David William Brennessel, age 87, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2026, at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He was born in Lyons, NY, to Peter Nicholas and Gertrude Elizabeth (Thielges) Brennessel.

David was drafted into the U.S. Army and was deployed to Berlin in 1962. Following his military service, he graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. On December 24, 1968, David married Michele Anthony in Duxbury, MA. He was employed as a civil engineer by the New York State Department of Transportation until his retirement in 1995, after which he continued to serve as a consultant for local contractors for several years.

David and Michele attended the United Church in Canandaigua for over 50 years. An avid outdoorsman, David enjoyed boating on Canandaigua Lake, cycling along the Erie Canal, and skiing at Bristol Mountain and Cumming Nature Center. He especially loved annual summer camping trips with his family to places like Cape Cod and Ithaca. In retirement, he and Michele cherished their time traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Michele Anthony; son, William Warren Brennessel of Rochester, NY; daughter, Kristen Brennessel of Fairport, NY; sister-in-law, Sandra Anthony Wilson of Tucson, AZ; and niece, Kimber Leigh (Wilson) Blackburn of San Francisco, CA.

The family will celebrate his life privately. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Canandaigua. Arrangements are by Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home, Inc., Canandaigua. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.