Brenda Jolene Johnston

Born in Milan, Missouri, USA, Brenda spent her early years living in several different cities including Riverside, California, Kansas City, Missouri and Phoenix, Arizona before moving with her mother, stepfather and sisters to Smithers, BC, in September 1971.

Brenda excelled at whatever she put her mind to. She played tetherball and softball often as a child and as she grew older found a love for gymnastics and cheerleading. She trained as a hairdresser as a young adult, spending time teaching at the hairdressing school in Prince George, and later, owning her own hair salon with a partner on Main Street, Smithers. Listening to country music, singing karaoke, and dancing, particularly the two-step, were some of her favourite pastimes. She had a love for words, spending hours reading dictionaries, completing word puzzles and trying to one-up her previous score. She loved to crochet and really enjoyed making intricately designed gifts for those around her.

Brenda provided much support for her mother and stepfather in their final days and their passing in 2017 & 2018 left a huge hole in her heart and she missed them every day.

After many years of struggle with chronic health issues including a final bout with cancer, Brenda passed away peacefully on September 9th, 2021. She maintained her quick wit, quirky “Brenda-isms” and love of her family to the end.

Brenda is survived by her sons, Trevor Lubbers and Kyle Romphf, her grandson, Liam Romphf, her two sisters, Candy McKinley and Tammy Larson, her brother-in-law, Todd Larson, and many nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles.

We would like to thank Dr. Haskins (and his team) for his exceptional care of Brenda over the past many years as well as the many support workers and friends whom she lovingly called, “Team Brenda.” She felt very grateful for the opportunities she had to spend time with her family in her final days.

She would gladly say: though this life has been filled with heartache, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” And we can still hear her voice as she sings: “I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away. When I die, hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away.”

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