Brenda Thayer

1954 - 2025

Brenda Thayer

November 10, 1954 - January 21, 2025

After a brief illness, Brenda Lee Thayer died on January 21, 2025, at the Bon Secours Community Hospice House with her husband by her side. Brenda was born on November 10, 1954, in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada to James Stuart Pearce and Lois Yvonne Agnes Pearce. Except for a couple of years when her father was posted to London, England, Brenda grew up in Regina, graduated from Scott Collegiate High School, volunteered as a Candy Striper at Pasqua Hospital, and accidentally joined the militia. Her time in the militia included a stint supporting the Commonwealth Games in Victoria BC, and in 1974 a one-year period of active duty at Communications Command Headquarters in Ottawa.

When her year was up, Brenda discovered that she would have to pay her own way home, so instead she was able to get a civil service job at her unit. In 1980 Brenda moved to Canadian National Defense Headquarters, also in Ottawa, where in 1983 one of her tasks was to arrange for the US Army agency that provided oil analysis support for ground equipment to come up to discuss how Canada could institute such a program. To do this, she went down a floor in her office building to see the US Army exchange officer to help coordinate the visit. This is how she met George, her future husband.

Since Brenda had a firm rule about not dating a co-worker, she arranged a transfer to another agency and to have George invited to her office farewell in November. Thus began an extended courtship, in person in Ottawa, by mail while George was stationed in Saudi Arabia, and by telephone when he was stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where one night, he proposed on the phone and Brenda accepted. George immediately started working on a Fiancée visa for Brenda. When the visa process seemed to go nowhere, the couple decided to elope in place in Ottawa.

The happy couple were married in the over-stuffed parlor of a retired Presbyterian minister the evening of November 28, 1985 (which just happened to be American Thanksgiving). Brenda wore her soon-to-be mother-in-law's satin wedding dress from 1947, and George wore his dress blue uniform. Afterwards, they went out for dinner with three friends, who were also the rest of the wedding party. The next morning, Brenda and George went to the US Embassy to start a new visa process and discovered the Fiancée visa had been approved. Oh well!

Three months later, Brenda joined George in Colorado Springs and began her life as an Army wife. Assignments to Grand Forks, North Dakota, Kelly Barracks in Mohringen, Germany, and Fort Drum, New York followed. While in Germany they traveled as often as they could to places like Amsterdam, where Brenda was able to select the stone and setting for her (belated) engagement ring and watch it be made, and to Oberammergau to see the 1990 Passion Play.

Also, while in Germany, George got to travel to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield/Storm and Brenda stayed at Kelly Barracks supplying George with goodies by mail and assuming his duties as the stairwell coordinator because all the men were deployed. After George's retirement from the Army in 1994, the couple moved to Henrico, Virginia, a location Brenda selected because Irma, her neighbor and friend from Kelly Barracks lived there with her husband Al (and still does).

As George settled into a second career as an Army Civilian, Brenda became a Domestic Goddess. In 2004, after the couple moved into their current home in Raintree, Brenda discovered and joined the Newcomers' Club of Richmond. After a year as Corresponding Secretary, Brenda served as Second Vice President (Membership) from July 2006 through June 2016 and was a member until 2024. Brenda had a knack for "discovering" singers long after they passed, notably Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole and Freddie Mercury, and becoming an avid fan. She was partial to Volvos, particularly white station wagons with tan leather interiors but she did let a blue one get into her fleet.

Brenda is predeceased by her parents; mother-in-law, Jacquetta; her father-in-law, George, Sr.; and her brother-in-law, Terry Jones. She is survived by her husband, George, III; sisters, Colleen Edwards (Christopher) and Shelley Neigum of Regina, Saskatchewan; sister, Dawn Pearce of Brandon, Manitoba; sisters-in-law, Virgina Viehe and Joellen Jones of Lebanon, Indiana; brother-in-law, James Thayer of Longview, Texas; numerous nieces and nephews; and her cats, Samantha, Chloe, and Zoe.

Brenda was a remarkable woman and is deeply missed. George is thankful for all the skilled and caring professionals who treated Brenda at St. Mary's Hospital and the Community Hospice House. Mortuary and cremation services were provided by Affinity Funeral Services. No funeral services are planned. Consider giving some of your wealth to a cause in which you believe and, more importantly, your time to someone you love.