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Brian O'Leary Bennett
December 5th, 1955 - March 10th, 2025
December 5th, 1955 - March 10th, 2025
“I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.” President Ronald Reagan
Brian O’Leary Bennett
1955-2025
Brian O’Leary Bennett, beloved son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend passed away on March 10, 2025, at his home in Palm Springs, California.
He was born on December 5, 1955, in Glendale, Queens, New York to Barbara and Robert Bennett. He is survived by his mother, two sisters, two brothers and his cherished dog. The family was raised in Merrick, N.Y. and lived on the same street as his sixteen cousins, all with the same last name. Throughout his life Brian loved the nostalgia of having grown up with all his cousins and the memories they shared.
Brian graduated from Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, N.Y., received a B.A. in Economics from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and received his Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California.
Brian always had a strong interest in politics and after high school he went to D.C. to work as a Legislative Caseworker for U.S. Senator James L. Buckley (R-NY) from 1973 to 1977. He then began his long career and friendship with Congressman Robert K. Dornan (R-CA-27th C.D.) in 1977, serving as his Legislative Assistant in D.C. for one year then as his Chief Field Deputy in Los Angeles, CA until 1983 when he was appointed by Governor Deukmejian (R-CA) as the Special Assistant to the Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. He didn’t stay there long, returning to Congressman Dornan in 1984 to serve as his Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for the 38th C.D. in Washington, D.C. and Orange County, CA until 1989.
Throughout his time in Congress, Brian was particularly proud of his work overseas, having traveled to more than 45 different countries on official congressional business and meeting with foreign ministers, presidents, other foreign government officials, ambassadors, opposition party leaders, and business, community, human rights, religious, and resistance leaders. Some of his visits included:
- Leading a congressional staff delegation to Vietnam;
- Visiting eight of the then-ten U.S. combatant commands around the world and other American military bases;
- Serving as an official observer to the 1985 congressional elections in El Salvador;
- Accompanying Congressman Dornan to Damascus, Syria for meetings with President Hafez Assad on behalf of American hostages held in Lebanon in 1986;
- Examining relief efforts in Ethiopia and drug activities in the Golden Triangle of northern Thailand; and
- Twice visiting Vietnamese an Cambodian refugee camps resistance military bases along the Thai-Cambodian border.
After working in government and politics for over 12 years, Brian joined Edison International (EIX) and Southern California Edison (SCE) from 1989 to 2003 where he served as Vice President & Director of SCE Strategic Initiatives, Vice President of EIX and SCE External Affairs & Corporate Communications, Vice President of SCE Corporate Public Affairs, Corporate Manager of SCE Municipal Government Relations, and Director of SCE Government & Community Affairs. From 2004 until his retirement, Brian was a consultant specializing in energy, communications/crisis management, and political and government affairs.
It was also during this period that Brian was an activist and leader in the Republican Party and later for gay rights. Brian was a California Delegate to the 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Republican National Conventions, Delegate to the California State Republican Party (1978-2005), and Member of the California State Republican Party Executive Committee (1999-2005). In 1997, Brian made national news when he officially came out as gay and spent many years advocating for gay rights in the Republican Party. On April 13, 2000, Brian was a member of the “Austin 12”, the first group of gay and lesbian Republicans ever invited to meet with Governor George W. Bush, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. That year he also was a national co-founder and Vice Chair of the Republican Unity Coalition, a national gay/straight alliance of Republican leaders featuring co-chairs Gerald Ford, David Rockefeller, and John Danforth.
Brian dedicated many years to the gay and lesbian community. He served on the board of directors for Equality California and for the Gay & Lesbian Center of Long Beach and was a member of the Human Rights Campaign. He won several awards and recognitions for his advocacy, and he was profiled at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival in the documentary Family Fundamentals which was also aired on PBS in 2003 and shown at other film festivals across the nation. In 2004, the OC Weekly named Brian the “Best Gay Republican” and Out Magazine listed him as 100 of the Most Influential Newsmakers in 1997.
Brian also served the community in other ways. He was a devout Catholic and defender of unborn children’s rights, and proud member of the California Pro-Life Council and Pro-Life PAC of Orange County. He served on several community boards including the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, World Affairs Council of Orange County, Orange County Public Affairs Association, and Urban League of Orange County. He also served as an Orange County Reserve Deputy Sheriff.
Brian was a regular contributor to major publications, authoring op-eds and other pieces for the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, San Francisco Chronicle, and more. He was also a regular guest speaker at colleges and universities and panels across the nation.
Throughout his life, Brian touched many lives and built deep lasting connections both personally and professionally. His commitment to family, friends, and colleagues kept him special in their eyes and set him apart from the rest. He was selfless and generous and went above and beyond for everyone, especially for those in need. He was always there to help and give his time for the success of others. He had a unique gift of making those he cared about feel important and loved, especially the children of his family and friends. He was a fun uncle, enjoyed good conversation, and loved to travel. Words that were used to describe Brian were intelligent, friendly, thoughtful, passionate, generous, humorous, adventurous, and fun loving.
Brian lived a full and accomplished life, and he will be missed terribly by all who knew and loved him.
The family asks that donations in Brian’s memory be made to the LGBTQ Center Long Beach at www.centerlb.org.
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Tributes
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Maureen Bennett
A letter to my dear cousin, friend, and soulmate Brian It’s been many months since you’ve been gone. I miss you very much. We always loved hearing the sound of each other’s voices. With living on the east coast and you on the west, so much of our communication was on the phone. So often I grab it to call you especially if I have a long drive ahead or if I am aimlessly moving around my studio. You always took a genuine interest in my family and my art and how it made me feel. I was your “safe harbor” and cheerleader. Providing emotional comfort was natural because of our deep unconditional love and respect. I’ve been reflecting a lot about my childhood and how it was shaped by a large gang of kids, whether my siblings or cousins. Since we lived a minute away from each other, you were a core part of that gang. Always coming over to sit at our large dinner table to use the World Book Encyclopedia and slipping in so easily as the twelfth mouth to feed. My parents loved you like their own. You had wanted for a very long time to write a story about the “21 Bennetts”! Your travels, your love of the arts, history and politics impacted me greatly. I loved how much you engaged in the world. I loved your humor and your style, your empathy and vulnerability. You told me that one of our fondest times together was the drive to Sharon, CT to visit Sen. Buckley. I would have driven you anywhere. We always felt we were with each other in spirit. I feel your spirit now and my heart is full of gratitude. Always love, Maureen
Bob Foster
I worked with Brian for many years and he was like a brother to me. He had a heart of gold, was truly loyal, and was excellent in his work. It saddened me to see him impaired by his neck injury and surgery. It kept him from active work on a consistent basis, but he never failed to help a friend if needed. I miss his humor and our arguments about politics, most of all I miss my friend.
Bob & Char Goetz
Brian was such a light for all of us and held a special spot in each of our hearts. Uncle Brian was the prankster, the big kid that was always ready to go out for a midnight food run, no matter what day it was. Brian the tutor, ready to dive in and help me while I was in college with papers to be written and each of my kids through their educational years. So worldly and intelligent, had experienced global events as a young man that few touch in a lifetime. I remember my trip to Washington DC as a junior in college interning for Congressman Dornan, Brian was my boss. After I told Molly, Dornan’s chief of staff to “pack sand “ when she asked me to polish the door handles, we became instant friends. He educated me on politics and the in and outs of DC, the Metropolis of Power. I helped him enjoy the college experience. This journey extended through our 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, Brian was there through the good, the bad, and our huge losses in life . Always present to support, through death, sickness and sadness . He will be remembered and missed for his loyalty, love and friendship. I am sure Oma and Opa are happy to have him in Heaven. All our love to your entire family from the Goetz Crew .
Tom Logan
I had the privilege of working for Brian in the office of Congressman Bob Dornan for a number of years. He was a fair, tough, empathetic, listening, inspiring kind of a leader, and though almost the same age as him, I thought I too, would like to have his personal charm characteristics and professionalism, which I heard and saw throughout the day with Brian talking skillfully. with constituents and VIPs alike. He had some very kind things to say about my capabilities in visiting a few years after having left that office and I’ll not forget. R.I.P.
Kathleen Weissberger
+4
“It’s been a long day without you my friend and I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.” Very hard to put into words the deep grief I feel having lost my best friend. Brian started in a small town with the goal of making a name for himself in politics. He did. Over the course of his career he sat with presidents, kings, the pope, celebrities and a collection of world figures. He traveled the world. Impacted young gay boys and girls in his work with the LGBTQ+. He made a difference. He has done and seen things we can only imagine and yet dreamt of doing more, all the while staying true to what he believed in. He was a remarkable, ethical, decent man. With all that he has accomplished the most important thing to Brian always was family. He was raised with 21 cousins ( two brothers and two sisters included) on one block, raising mischief and mayhem in a wholesome way. Through the years, whenever we got together, no matter the age, we were back to being those kids, with Brian being the ringleader. Nothing can replace that bond and to Brian, that was the greatest gift. As for me, Brian and I have been the very best of friends all our adult life. We were each other’s anchor. He was the keeper of my secrets, the cheerleader to my dreams, the shoulder to my pain, the calm to my storms, the cause of my absolute hysterical laughter, and I to him. I don’t know if a lot of people find someone who encompasses everything you need to feel safe. We did that for each other. We wholly accepted each other for who we were. The pain of his death will never be gone but I think of the laughs; I think of the crazy things we’ve done; the traveling we did, the long meaningful conversations we had and I think of the depths of love we had for each other. I have to say thank you God. I am also thankful that Brian doesn’t have any more pain. He is free to sing, to dance, to write. Whatever he wishes. For that I am grateful and look forward to the day we’ll be together again to share a box of mallomars and Yoo-hoos. I’ll see soon BF. Love forever and always, YBF
Paul Morrell
Goodbye Brian. Rest in peace. You were a dear friend—a brother. Your kindness and generosity to me and my family will be with us always, as I am sure it will be for the many very fortunate people you touched and helped along the way. You led a grand and exciting life. While it wasn’t always easy, you lived it well. I will profoundly miss you. I love you, brother.
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