Brenda Polk Goodwin

Brenda "Jewel" Polk Goodwin, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2025. She was born in Jackson, Georgia, where she grew up surrounded by family and community, where her father became sheriff and she shared many stories of the living under the jail. She moved to Ball Ground and enjoyed being close to all her family for 20 years.

Brenda was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, J. Wayne Goodwin; children Cyndi McDonald (Ed), Amanda Jacks (Darrell), and John W. Goodwin, Jr. (Lori); sister Melba Walker and nephew Jimmy Byrd. She was a proud grandmother (Giggy) to Matt McDonald (Melissa), Ashley Jacks, Mark McDonald, Mackenzie Jacks, Samuel Goodwin, and Jared Goodwin, and great-grandmother to Ryker Jacks.

Brenda studied at the University of Georgia before dedicating her life to creating a home filled with warmth, joy, and abundant love. She was known for her hospitality-every house she touched became a welcoming home, decorated beautifully and filled with laughter and good food. Each Thanksgiving, she prepared four versions of her "best ever" dressing (thick, thin, vegetarian thick, and vegetarian thin), along with favorite dishes for everyone at the table. Holidays, especially Christmas, became magical under her care, with every corner of her home beautifully decorated and ready to celebrate family.

She made Christmas bows decorations for family and friends, and every year, and had Wayne cut out crafts for the family to paint, ranging from sleighs to snowmen. When they moved to Ball Ground, she embraced the phrase "Kiss the Cook" and constantly reminded Ryker, "What did you forget?" If you ever wanted a chocolate fix, you could go to Giggy's, where she always had plenty of Whoppers.

Her love was both active and personal. She enjoyed sports, cheering on her children and grandchildren at games and practices, from soccer fields to cross-country meets and cheer squads at football stadiums, always present and encouraging.

Questions and conversations were her love language, and she had a gift for making everyone feel seen and special. Babies adored her radiant smile and full attention. She cherished the joy of giving all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren their first baths. She would spend hours reading with Ryker, even sharing the book "Love You Forever," which made her cry every time, fostering Ryker's love of reading.

Brenda found joy in flowers, often sharing them with family and friends. She created a flower garden at Jackson Lake where her grandchildren could pick bouquets. She also shared her creativity and faith with her church, designing Stations of the Cross and altar table settings that beautifully reflected Scripture.

Whether she was playing half-court basketball in high school, golfing in mother-daughter tournaments, or playing tennis doubles as an adult, Brenda brought energy, kindness, and warmth into every moment. She made sure her children could swim, making them attend morning swimming lessons and swim team, all because she wanted to ensure they were strong swimmers.

The love of her life was Wayne, who always said the secret to their happy marriage was simply, "Yes, dear," and the rule to never go to bed mad. Together, they built a family and a legacy of love that will endure for generations. Brenda made biscuits by hand, chicken and dumplings, cobbler, and homemade ice cream-skills that have sadly been lost but leave a cherished memory to continue each holiday.

The family will gather later to celebrate Brenda's life in remembrance of her. She wanted to make sure they all knew they were very special to her and loved.