Brenda Reese

1950 - 2025

Brenda Gardner Reese was a beautiful woman of God. She touched many in her roles as mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, military spouse, and friend. She showed God's love to others through kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity. The world was a better place because Jesus' light shined through her into the world. Her unexpected passing from medical complications on November 4, 2025 is a difficult reality for all who knew her, but her resting place beside Jesus for eternity brings us comfort and peace.

Brenda was born on June 21,1950 in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina to Cecil and Betty Jo Gardner. Her sunny disposition brought joy to her community and church her entire childhood. After graduating from high school and attending cosmetology school, Brenda married and began her career as a devoted Army wife. She traveled the world supporting our country and raising a family. She created a loving and comfortable home in each new place, earning a reputation for entertaining and hospitality for which she will always be remembered.

Brenda's pride and joy were her two daughters, Kirsten and Alaina, who flourished under her loving care and went on to have families of their own, providing Brenda with five beautiful grandchildren who called her "Mimi." Tending this garden of love as a grandmother gave Brenda purpose and fulfillment. She was very active in her Lutheran church and generously gave her time and God-given talents to many causes. She valued her friendships and was never without a thoughtful card or gift for her beloved friends, and she was always on the go to her next social gathering, charity event, or Bible study.

Though Brenda's life was not without difficulty, her enduring and steadfast faith through her challenges served as an inspiration to others and will indeed be her legacy. She was predeceased by her parents Cecil and Betty Jo Gardner and sister Julia Coulman, as well as her beloved cousin and best friend Mary Lynn Smith. She is survived by her older daughter and family Kirsten and Jim Garrison (children Reese, Meryl, and JJ) and her younger daughter and family Alaina and Kyle Missbach (children Eleanor and Calvin).

A memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Irvine, California at 11 a.m. on November 22, 2025. Brenda will be interred beside her parents in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the causes that Brenda strongly supported: Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (pkdcure.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org).