Richard Rich Dennis Brenner

Mr. Richard Dennis Brenner, 65, died Monday, February 27, 2012 at Moses Cone Hospital. Rich was born in Merchantville, New Jersey on November 24, 1946 . He was preceded in death by his parents Robert A. and Alfreda Brenner. He was a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio where he was student senate president, sports editor of the college newspaper, Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, and a member of Lamba Chi Alpha fraternity. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Baldwin-Wallace in 1968. He broadcast his first football game at his college over the radio with play-by-play reports in October of 1965, and he spent the summer of 1967, between his sophomore and junior years of college, as a correspondent in Vietnam. He began his fulltime television career in 1975 as a sportscaster at WLVA in Lynchburg, Virginia. He later worked at WAVY in Portsmouth, Virginia, WRAL in Raleigh, WMAQ in Chicago and WTVD in Durham before coming to WGHP Fox 8 in 1987 as a sports anchor.

During his distinguished career he received the Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, three Southeast Regional Emmy awards, a National Iris Award, and the Charlie Harville Award. He has interviewed and covered well known people in the world of sports as well as history and through his 34 year broadcasting career, he has mentored countless young aspiring sportscasters and journalists. A long time supporter of soccer in North Carolina at all levels, Rich was honored in 1991 by the NC Youth Soccer Association for outstanding coverage of the sport. He has never met a stranger, and in the world of local television, he has been a constant, dispensing scores and highlights for 21 years. Rich retired on April 18, 2008 and remained very busy as a volunteer on the speaking circuit as well as an emcee at many events in the community. He was a tireless volunteer who donated his time as a tutor to kindergartners at Pilot Elementary School and taught a broadcasting class at Elon University.

He was a Captain in the United States Marine Reserves. In 1972 he entered the 4th Civil Affairs Group located at the Washington, DC Navy Yard. He served as a platoon leader and rose to the rank of Captain, USMCR before leaving that unit in June 1975.

He was presented a Hixon Award by the Gate City Kiwanis Club and Asheboro Kiwanis Club for his help in raising money for a Kiwanis cabin at Victory Junction, and his investment in young people led to an athletic scholarship in his name at UNCG.

A few of Rich’s many passions in life included serving veterans, first responders and mentoring youth.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Judy Goodrich Pollard; one son Shawn Douglas Pollard of Greensboro; one daughter and son-in-law Lesley and Nick Nicholson of Greensboro, his beloved grandsons, Tanner and Carson; one brother and sister-in-law, Barry and Donna Brenner of Fairport, NY; one niece Amy Alexander of Dubai; one nephew Christopher Brenner of Fairport, NY and a brother-in-law Carroll Leslie Goodrich and his wife Joanne of Appomattox, Va.

The family will receive friends beginning at 5:00 pm on Friday March 2 at Hanes Lineberry Sedgefield Funeral Home. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, March 3 at Aycock Auditorium on the UNCG campus at 1:00pm.

Memorials may be made to the War Memorial Foundation (Field of Honor) 600 North Regional Road, Greensboro, NC 27409, Victory Junction at 4500 Adam’s Way Randleman, NC 27317 and the Richard Brenner Athletic Scholarship at UNCG , 723 Kenilworth Street, Greensboro, 27402.

On line condolences may be made through www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com