Brenda Elizabeth "B-Fresh" Johnston

1952 - 2021

Brenda Elizabeth (née Brayshaw) Johnston, "B-Fresh", passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 29, 2021, in Courtenay, British Columbia. Her final wish, realized just weeks ago, was to be surrounded by her family for one last Christmas. After time spent with her children and grandchildren and following a long and difficult battle with COPD, she is now at rest.

Mom was 69 years old at the time of her passing, and is survived by her daughter Jodi Johnston-McNiven, partner Roy McNiven and beloved grandchildren Halle and Royce. She says goodbye to her favourite son Chad Johnston, and his wife Cheryl Barr. Brenda leaves behind a sister Barbara, and two brothers Rick and Bill Brayshaw. She also leaves behind her dear friends June Orchiston and Anna Brown and many more family members and friends.

Brenda was born in 1952 in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, to George and Joan Brayshaw. She spent her childhood years in Dauphin, Manitoba, and lived briefly in Vancouver, before eventually settling in Kamloops, BC with the love of her life, husband Derek Johnston. The couple went on to have a daughter Jodi and a son Chad and settled into a happy and fulfilling family life. The Johnston family was close and enjoyed travel, camping, snowmobiling and time at the Shuswap Lake entertaining friends and family.

Brenda was proud of her role as a full-time mom and was a hands-on parent. She loved raising her children, managing schedules, and creating and "the hostess with the mostess" family was the most important thing in Brenda's life. She loved people and animals and could always be found helping someone out or bringing home a stray cat or dog. She instilled this love of rescuing animals and helping people in her children as well.

Brenda loved the arts and was a talented singer, pianist, and interior designer whose sense of style could be seen in everything she did. Her home was her sanctuary and she always made everyone feel welcome in her world. She was hilarious, eccentric, stubborn, wise, and compassionate. There was no one better to talk to when things were tough. She loved laying in the sun with no sunscreen, driving too fast and following celebrity news. She hated dirt, flies and injustice. She touched the lives of so many and was a loyal, loving, and generous friend.

Brenda went on to face many health obstacles related to her diagnosis of a genetic disorder (Alpha One Antitrypsin Disorder), which led to COPD and the eventual single lung transplant she underwent 14 years ago. Despite many challenges and heartbreaks, she fought on and always loved hearing about the activities of her grandchildren Halle and Royce, whom she loved so very much. With a gentle heart but a strong will, Brenda made her choices on her own until the very end and left this world with courage, faith, and peace.

We will forever miss this fierce, loving, artistic, beautiful woman. There was and will never be anyone quite like her, and she will live on in our hearts, minds, and memories forever.

Our final hope for our mother Brenda is that she shed her broken body and now flies free with the angels where she belongs.

A Celebration of Life will be held in her honour, in the Okanagan Valley as soon as we are all ready and able to safely gather to celebrate Brenda's incredible life.

All our love, Mom.
May you rest in the peace you so deserve.