Brenda Kay Harris

There are some travelers who become unmoored from the normal paths in life. Brenda Kay Harris reached her final port on January 24, 2026. Brenda started her journey on March 23, 1957, in the seaport city of Norfolk, Virginia. She was the youngest sister in a small home packed with her five siblings.

Brenda was the daughter of a Navy officer who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. She later served in the Coast Guard, where she helped bring ashore others who had become stranded or wayward. She later married, moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, and had two children, a son and a daughter.

A fan of sci-fi and fantasy, she often hoped for a better humanity. In that spirit, she sought to cultivate the interests of her children and trusted them to chart the best paths for their lives. Sadly, Brenda's struggles with addiction kept her adrift from her own path. She still strived, like a scrappy tugboat, to help nudge others ashore. She was thrilled to meet her two granddaughters. She was a companion and caretaker to her parents during their final years, moving back to Norfolk before finally settling in Hampton, Virginia, after their passing.

Brenda beat the odds through several serious health challenges while she endeavored to find her bearings. She was 68 at the end of her voyage. She is survived by her children, two grandchildren, and three sisters.