Brendan Michael Hearn Touched Hearts of Many

Brendan Michael Hearn of West Tisbury died unexpectedly Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003. Brendan was born in Oak Bluffs on March 28, 1985. He was the loving son of Kevin and Roberta (Fontaine) Hearn of West Tisbury and Key Colony Beach, Fla.

Brendan was a 1999 graduate of the West Tisbury School and a graduate of the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School class of 2003. He was a freshman at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, studying filmmaking. He worked in the summer for Cape Air as a ramp manager. Brendan volunteered countless hours at Windemere Nursing Facility, bringing smiles to all who met him.

Brendan's short life was lived with zest and had many passions including flying with Joe Costa, bringing flowers to Grace Frye (with whom he shared the same birthday), dates with Dottie Fisher, vacations to Vermont, Florida and Seattle with his family, watching the space shuttle launch, working out at the gym with his sister, cleaning his Camaro "Kitt," countless hours with his friends, his love for music from Ken Burns to Garth Brooks, photography and filmmaking, including the cooking show which always ended with eating the results. Brendan brought joy to the lives of everyone he met. Even though he was here on this earth such a short time, he touched the hearts of many people.

Island Dreams

A young man he was, with brilliant eyes;
Gentle, walking along the beach,
the sand felt so rough;
He wondered and his thoughts flowed across
the ocean water;
He was in the moment, he was on his Island;
He knew that the time to travel was upon him;
He floated above the water
and looked at his Island behind him;
A young man he was, with brilliant eyes.

By Darcy Lambert Farnham
Class of 1982

Besides his loving parents, Brendan is survived by his, sister Heather A., her husband, S. Vincent Maciel, and their children, Kaitlyn L. and Jared V., all of West Tisbury; aunts and uncles, Maureen Hearn of Burlington, Glen and Linda Hearn of West Tisbury, Joseph and Jean Fontaine of Forestdale and Allan and JoAnn deBettencourt of Oak Bluffs and all of their families; his great aunt, Doloris Niblick of Lewes, Del.; his godfather, David Hearn of Vineyard Haven; his godmother, Susan Hearn Collins of Rockport, and many friends.

A visitation was held on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, 56 Edgartown- Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. His funeral service took place in the funeral home at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21, with the Rev. Nancy Collins officiating.

Donations in Brendan's memory maybe made to the Brendan Michael Hearn Memorial Scholarship Fund, MVRHS, attn: Margaret Serpa, P.O. Box 1385, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.