Reinard W. Brandley

A graveside service at Newcastle Cemetery with reception and lunch to follow is planned for Thursday, September 22, 2022. The graveside service will begin at 10:00. The lunch reception for family, friends and colleagues will follow the service at approximately 11:00 a.m., at Gold Hill Gardens, 2325 Gold Hill Road, Newcastle, CA 95658.

Those wishing to send flowers should request delivery to Heritage Oaks Memorial Chapel, 6920 Destiny Drive, Rocklin, CA 95677, to arrive by Wednesday, September 21st, by 4:00 pm.

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Reinard's Life Story

After a full measure of life for 99 years, Reinard passed away at home with his family at his bedside.

Reinard leaves behind his wife Suzanne of 48 years, their two children Reinard Damon and Melissa Suzanne, Damon's wife Stephanie and their children Ryan Damon, Jack Ranney, and Callie Elizabeth.  He also leaves behind his oldest son Reinard Dirk and his children Brenda Shaw, Charlotte Dunnaway, Felicia Lloyd, Samantha Whiting, deceased son Aaron Brandley, as well as 11 great-grandchildren.  Reinard is survived by his older sister Mary Alexander, younger sister Mona Peterson, and preceded in death by younger sister Patricia Kirchhoefer, father Albert, and mother Luella.

Reinard was born and raised in the village of Stirling in Alberta Canada that his grandfather established in 1898.  He grew up working daily with his father on their family farm providing food, meat, and the crops that supported his family of six.  He enjoyed Boy Scout adventures in Canada and earned the highest rank of King Scout.

In 1941, he left home by train for the University of Alberta after harvesting all day.  There he earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering.  His studies led to becoming a Teaching Fellow at Harvard. He studied for four years under the two Professors that developed the soils and foundation engineering theories used today, Carl Terzaghi and Arthur Casagrande.  He completed a PhD with his thesis on Airfield Pavement Design and Evaluation. His Brandley Fatigue Analysis methodology for evaluation and design of airfield pavements is still the most accurate method in use today.

After completing his studies at Harvard University, Reinard began his career as Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan teaching Soil Mechanics and Technology of Cement and Concrete.  To gain practical experience, he left the University and joined the consulting engineering firm of O.J. Porter Company in Sacramento, California, where he served for four years as Chief Engineer in charge of Geotechnical Engineering Design and the Materials Testing Laboratory. In 1953, he began his own Geotechnical Engineering, Airport Engineering, Drilling, and Soils Testing Laboratory business, Brandley Engineering. 

Airport Engineering quickly became his primary passion and led to his life's work in airport design for 67 years.  His jobs covered airports on the West Coast, in the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Utah, Florida, Hawaii, and the country of Iran.  He served as Chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers Airfield Pavement Committee. He developed many new innovative designs and facilities used today and adopted by the FAA as design standards. He invented a load transfer device for use in reestablishing load transfer capabilities across a joint in concrete pavements and holds a patent for this device. His life’s work and airport engineering business continues under the charge of his children Damon and Melissa Brandley.

He constructed his home in Loomis with his wife Suzanne in 1974.  He enjoyed spending time with family, vacationing in Maui, flying his Cessna 210, golfing, spending time on his sailboat, timing for the Loomis Dolphins Swim Team, and operating his tractor on weekends at home.

Reinard had a full, productive, challenging, and happy life. His presence will be profoundly missed by his family, the airport community, and all who knew him along his journey.  His spirit will live on in our memory and our hearts.