“A Friend of the Hale Organization” Dewey Drenner 1924 – 2010

Father of Baltimore General Manager – Dennis Drenner

With great sadness we share with you that Dewey Drenner passed away in February. Many of you know Dewey from various MMTA events and outings as outgoing, friendly and very approachable.

From 1945 until his 2005 retirement, Dewey had a long and productive career in transportation and truck maintenance management (after serving in the Coast Guard during WWII). He was superintendent of maintenance at the Baltimore Transit Company, Baltimore Truck Rental, E.I. Kane Company and, in 1976 co-founded the 4-D Trailer Company, which later became Brody Transportation. At 4-D he was vice president of sales, and was a driving force in the growth and success of the company. He invented a brake safety tool called the “Dew-Mic”, patented in 1985. Dewey spent his life contributing in the truck mechanical field. Most of all he loved helping people … friends, family, employees and even strangers. He was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Historical Truck Society in 2006.

Personally Dewey was a truly unique human being. His dominant persona was a strong, confident and vital man hugely proud of his family. His strong and wrinkled hands, even in his declining years, would give you a respectful, sincere and firm handshake. This was evidence of his enduring love for people. Indeed in his heroic and ordinary life he was truly the hero in his family. We are grateful in having had him for 85 years and he will live on in our hearts and endure in our wonderful memories and lessons taught.

Courtesy: Dennis Drenner